GN 1142 FD/MM/FM

This GN should be read unitedly as a Home.

The Word, and Obeying the Word!

By Maria FD/MM/FM 3551 5/05

Dear Family,

1. I love you dearly and pray for you daily! By now you have read "Introduction to Training Winning Teams‚" the keynote to this GN series, and I pray that you're excited about what the Lord has in store for you in this GN and the ones that follow. I know I'm certainly thrilled about preparing the material for you.

2. As I said in the intro‚ there are a number of topics to address in this series, and it's not going to be possible to slot them in order of importance. However, I did want to start with the one topic that takes precedence over all the others‚ and that is the Word and our obedience to it.

3. As you well know, the Lord gave us some strong and sobering warnings during Feast 2003 in "What Is Jesus Worth to You?" But, sadly, it seems that this revolution hasn't taken as deep root in our lives and Homes as it needs to. Many of you are still guilty of pushing your Word time aside in favor of other things‚ and not giving our Husband the time that is His right.

4. I know these are busy times, and when there's so much to do we're often tempted to cut back on our time with our Husband, our times of feeding from His Word. But we can't afford to or we'll pay for it spiritually. We've got to claim the keys and ask the Lord for extra fight, extra determination, extra faith‚ and extra resolve and willpower to be obedient. It takes conviction; we have to be so convinced of the need for the Word in our lives that we guard it at all costs.

5. We've got to get this very basic principle down, dear Family. We must keep the Word in first place in our lives and Homes, because if we don't, we might as well quit restructuring and strengthening the Family right now. If we're not giving Jesus His due, if we're not taking sufficient time with Him, if we're not being obedient to the instruction He has so clearly given us over the years, and most recently through "What Is Jesus Worth to You?" then all of our other efforts will fall flat.

6. The restructuring and strengthening of the Family will be in vain if we're not putting Jesus first, if we're not deeply drinking in the Word every day, if we're not spending quality time in the temple to be refreshed. The Word is our ballast; it's what keeps us and gives us the strength we need to make the changes the Lord is asking of us. The Word is our lifeblood‚ as necessary as the air that we breathe. We've got to start acting like we believe this, dear Family, or we're never going to stay afloat, much less steam ahead to the glorious future our Husband has promised.

7. Peter shared some counsel from the Lord on this topic in "Getting Stronger, Part 4," as we knew you would be getting that GN before you got this one. But he only touched on it briefly, because he knew that I'd be sharing more counsel from the Lord on the subject in this series. It's something that he and I are very burdened about. Lack of living in the Word and being doers of the Word is unacceptable!

8. Without the Word, your Home will never become the winning team you're hoping to create. Your efforts will come to naught, you'll burn out, and you won't have the spiritual power needed to catapult you into the future. The Word—reading it, absorbing it, applying it, and living it—is the most important ingredient that you need to build your winning team. Without it, you might as well stop all of your other efforts, because they'll get you nowhere in the long run. The changes presently underway in the Family will not succeed without the Word and our obedience to it.

9. (Dad:) Beloved, there is no excuse for not taking time for the Word. There is no excuse whatsoever for not starting your day with the Lord and getting your full 1½ to 2 hours of Word daily. And any excuse you have is not of the Lord. I don't see how any of you can think that you can do the Master's work without the Master's power.

10. Since the very beginning of the Family I have been telling you to never neglect your time in the Word. I have told you to obey the Word and the Lord first and foremost. The Lord has told you the same things over and over, and now Mama is telling you. And having good Word time is not just reading the Word; it's studying the Word and absorbing it, it's putting it into practice, it's living in the Word and having your every move and action dictated by the Word.

11. As the Lord and I have said so many times, the Word is your foundation, your rock‚ your ballast. The Family is being restructured and strengthened, but all that work and prep and planning and implementing won't do any good if the foundation is not solid. You are restructuring and strengthening the house of the Family, but if the foundation is weak, if it's being chewed out by termites, if it's been eroding, no matter how much restructuring you do and no matter how good the house looks‚ it won't stand.

12. Mama and Peter are doing all they can to give you the Word. Your leaders and shepherds are doing all they can to help strengthen and restructure the Family, but only you can make it strong by reading and obeying the Word. The Word is your very lifeline. Spending time with the Lord should be the main thing that matters to you. When you wake up in the morning‚ the only thing that should be on your mind and your to-do list is your time with the Lord. Until you get the Word in and get that time with Him, there should be nothing else on your to-do list for that day.

13. These habits that you are building right now are the things that will keep you on the straight and narrow path, and will keep you through persecution and the days ahead. Sadly, there are still many of you in the Family who haven't made the Word your solid foundation. You haven't made the Lord and the Word your priority. If you haven't obeyed, followed, and lived the Word, then your foundation is weak and you won't stand strong when the winds of adversity blow.

14. You are not only responsible for your own Word intake, but for your Home's Word intake as well. If your Home isn't practicing the New Wine, if your Home isn't using the spiritual weapons and is not grounded in the Word‚ then it's the responsibility of all of you to make sure you change that way of operating. Discuss it in one of your Home Councils. Do something about it. Don't wait till it's too late.

15. A lack of faithfulness to the Word has been a problem that has plagued the Family since the very beginning. We've done all we could to get the Word to you. We have ensured that you have had the Lord's Words and direct leading and guidance. But you are the only ones who can act on the Word, obey it‚ and put it into practice. The Word holds the keys for the future of the Family. The Word also holds each of your personal keys for the future.

16. Look at the counsel and direction the Lord has given you in the Word ahead of time. If you were truly living the Word and preparing and doing all you could do, then you would be living the New Wine when it first comes out and implementing it right away, before it's too late.

17. There are many of you who are more on board now, and who are really striving to live the Word and incorporate it into every area of your lives—more so than in years past. But there are still many of you who aren't striving to make that extra effort; you are complacent and figure that "all things continue as they are" and that you will have time to catch up and jump aboard when the time comes or things get too tough.

18. In "What Is Jesus Worth to You," the Lord pleaded, begged, and cajoled, to make sure that the Word came first in your life. He wanted you to make sacrifices to fit it in if that's what it took. He also mentioned that persecution was coming and that you needed to be ready for it when it came. Now some persecution has come, yet some of you are still lagging behind‚ not seeing the seriousness of your situation.

19. In the days ahead in the Endtime, there won't be time for you to hesitate in obeying what the Lord tells you in His Word. You won't have time to try and figure it out and go on your merry way. You will either be 100% right there on board, or you won't and will fall by the wayside. If you are putting the Lord first and implementing the Word revolution in your life‚ then the restructuring of the Family will fall into place more easily for you.

20. There won't be so many battles and so much confusion. You and your Home will be strong, unified, happy, content‚ moving ahead, and defeating the Enemy. You will be a powerful force to reckon with, and the Enemy will think twice before attacking you. And when he does, you will be prepared to utterly rout him and destroy his works and machinations and attacks against you!

21. (Mama:) Please take this message from Dad and the warnings the Lord has given before to heart. Reread what has been said over the years in so many Letters about the need for the Word. Study "What Is Jesus Worth to You?" again. Take what Peter said in "Getting Stronger, Part 4" and what I and the Lord said in "The Art of Dependence" seriously. And do something about it! Please!

22. If everything that's been said over the years hasn't caused a permanent Word revolution in your life, then this GN is one more chance to jump on the bandwagon. The messages and counsel in this GN are one more opportunity to save your Home from spiritual annihilation at the hands of the Enemy and his demons who hate and fight the Word.

23. The key is to believe that the Lord can help you to form good, strong‚ lifelong Word habits. Believing that it is possible, that it is doable, is a vital step in fueling the Word revolution in your lives and Homes. Because if you don't have faith that it can be done, that it is possible, then your lack of faith will cause it to fizzle out and lose steam. A defeatist attitude brings defeat and ruins even the greatest plans and intentions. So you've got to trust the Lord and believe Him when He says that it is possible to have a permanent change in your lives and Homes that will last forever.

24. Even if your personal Word habits, or those of your Home, have been the same for as long as you can remember—sporadic, up-and-down, inconsistent, topsy-turvy, sometimes better and sometimes worse—Jesus can change you. Any habit can be formed if you put enough effort into it, if you desire it badly enough, if you want it with all of your heart. "Radical change is at your doorstep the moment you ask for it in the power of the keys." You don't have to drift along like some of the people in the world, who do the same thing every day, year after year, till they fall into the grave. You're new creatures. You can form good and positive habits that will last you a lifetime. Believe it and act like it!

25. Build a solid Word habit personally and as a Home today! Get into a Word "groove" of putting the Word first, of never neglecting it, of making it an immovable part of your lives and Homes. It is possible, it is realistic‚ and it is doable. It's going to take work and effort, but anything that's worth something costs something. Of all the good habits, this is the most important one to build, yet also one that the Enemy fights the forming of most strongly. But just because he fights it hard doesn't mean it's not possible. It should just show you how important it is, and give you all the more determination to show him you're going to do it come hell or high water, no matter how hard he fights.

26. If you want your Home to be a winning team, there's no way around it, the Word must be kept in first place and obeyed at all costs. The Word is not an option; it's a must!

Love in our powerful Word Giver‚

Mama

The Word

The Brief

27. Winning teams know that the Word is their lifeline, what keeps them going, what sustains them‚ and what empowers them to do their job for Jesus—and they act like it. Winning Homes keep the Word in first place. They don't allow the Word to be overshadowed by anything, even during busy times.

28. Home members' time in the Word is treated as sacred, untouchable, sacrosanct, and the most important thing on the to-do list every single day. Winning Home members ensure that they not only get their own Word time every day, but they do what they can to ensure that everyone else in the Home has ample time as well. In a winning Home, taking a minimum of one and a half hours of Word time daily is a goal that everyone reaches for together.

Pointers for Winning Teams

The Word must be in first place

29. We all like to be on top of things and successful. But the only way that's possible is if you‚ as a Home‚ determine to put the Lord and His Word first. When you're putting first things first, He will straighten out all of the other problems. When you're putting Jesus first, He will help you with everything else you have to do. That's a fact. And whether or not we understand it clearly with our carnal minds, it's still true. It's God's Word and His promise.

30. Your Home will never be a failure if you're putting the Lord first. You're a success if you put Him first, and you can be sure that your work will be successful—in fact, everything you put your hands to will be blessed. It's a principle of the spirit world‚ a blessing from our Husband's hand‚ a chain of events that automatically takes place. So don't let the Enemy worry or scare you, or tell you you're a failure when you take time for the Lord and His Word, especially if other things don't seem to be getting done. You couldn't be more of a success. You're doing the very best thing. You're putting Jesus and His Word first.

31. You will then have His help in everything He calls you to do that day. He will give you wisdom and anointing. He will use you as a channel to do His will, and your spirit helpers will assist you. By putting the Word first, you have all of the power of Heaven at your command, and the keys will readily aid you with greater strength and anointing.

32. (Jesus:) If you want to be a winning Home, then you need to put the Word in first place. Period. That's all there is to it. The Word is what will help you. The Word is what will guide you. The Word is where you will find all of the solutions to your problems. The Word is the answer. The Word is your guide. The Word is what will transform you from being just a bunch of people living together to a strong, united, bonded, revolutionary, on-fire winning team for Me.

33. If you aren't putting My Word in first place in your Home, if it's not the most important thing on your agendas every day, then what you're really doing is working in the flesh. Whether you realize it or not, you're saying that you know better than Me, that you can survive okay without the amount of Word I have mandated. When you go about your day without the Word, then you're running on your own steam. You're working in your own strength, and I can't bless you operating in such a manner.

34. Deciding that you don't need the Word so much‚ or that it's just not as important as it's been made out to be, and then choosing to run largely on your own steam, is a little bit like deciding you don't really need to eat physical food anymore, but that you can survive without it. Well, just like physical food, you can survive without spiritual nourishment for a while‚ but with time you'll get weaker, skinnier, and you'll die on the vine.

35. At this time in the Family's history, when there's more to do than ever, more challenges to meet than ever, more changes to flow with than ever, you need more of the spiritual energy of My Spirit through the Word, not less. You should be more desperate than ever for the Word, knowing that it's the only substance strong enough to empower you. You need the Word desperately. Your spiritual lives and the success of your winning team depend on it!

Reading and absorbing the Word needs to be a Home goal

36. (Mama:) To be a winning Home, it needs to be your united goal to live in the Word. You can never get enough. The Word is one with our Husband, so the more Word your Home is imbibing, the more you will be like Him in the way you live and operate and the things you do, the more of His mind you will come to know, and the more He will be able to possess you and work through you. So drinking in the Word should be your primary goal.

37. When you're in the Word continually‚ it feeds and strengthens your Home. Of course, when you're first getting in the habit of doing it more, it won't always be easy and the Enemy will fight. But if it's a goal that you're striving for together as a Home, you can overcome any and all of his attacks. And the more you read the Word and make it a habit and an integral part of your Home, the more your appetite will grow, the more inspired it will make you, the more refreshed you will feel, and the more your minds will meld with the Word Giver's.

38. (Jesus:) The most important goal you should have as a winning team is to keep the Word in first place, as your primary focus. This is a goal you should each have individually, but it's also a goal that you should have unitedly, as a body. Living in the Word is a collective responsibility, not just an individual one.

39. When you think about your Home, can you say, "Yes, our Home lives the Word revolution. We treat our Word time as sacred, untouchable time with the Lord. We know it's important and we fight for it, no matter how busy things are." I'm sorry to say that many of you would presently say, "Our Home tries to live the Word revolution. We do our best to have Word time. We know it's important, and we try to fit it in most days‚ as often as we can."

40. That last response is not good enough for a winning team. Having, good, solid, quality time in the Word every day should be your primary goal‚ and a goal that you reach. Because if you don't reach this goal every day, you won't be reaching many of the other goals you've set for your Home, because you won't have My full blessing and anointing.

41. It's to your Home's advantage to keep your Word time at the top of your agenda‚ because My Word is Me. And when I'm in first place, I help all the other details of your day to fall into their proper places. Everything always works out better and more smoothly when you give Me the prime time that I deserve. It moves Me to strengthen your Home as a whole. It literally forces Me to do more miracles for you, because I'm so pleased that you trust Me enough to keep your time with Me and My Word untouchable.

42. Your obedience to the Word requirements I have given allows Me to roam freely in your Home, and in your individual lives, to sprinkle the confetti of My blessings at every turn. So it's well worth it to keep Me and My Word in first place and make it the most important united Home goal that you strive for every day.

Ensure that all Home members have their Word needs met

43. (Mama: ) When you have a multifaceted Home, it can be quite a juggling act to ensure that everyone in the Home has 1½ hours of solid Word time every day. But whether it's easily scheduled or not, this is a must. Everyone in the Home needs a solid block of time every day—whether in united devotions‚ or in private prayer, reading, and meditation—as well as a location conducive to their time with the Lord. These are sometimes tricky logistics to figure out, but the Lord can and will give you the solutions so that everyone's needs for their Word time are supplied if you call on the keys for His ideas and revelations.

44. Ensuring that everyone in the Home gets ample Word time every day will mean a lot of give and take‚ and probably some sacrifices. And if one of the people with the children was the witnesser, in order for him to get his Word time before leaving, it would mean either getting up earlier to read beforehand or leaving later and thus having a shorter witnessing day. This is probably not the witnesser's preference, but he's making a sacrifice so that someone else in the Home can take their time with the Lord—and it's a sacrifice for the Home that the Lord will bless.

45. It's important that everyone in the Home is willing to do whatever is necessary to make the Word time schedule work. It's to everyone's benefit‚ because if even one person isn't getting good, solid, feeding Word time regularly‚ it will affect the whole Home—maybe not immediately, but certainly with time.

46. And for those who need to take their Word time later, such as the preceding example of a person who cared for the children during the united Home devotions‚ they need to accept the fact that they're getting a later start on the day, and not allow the Enemy to condemn them for taking that important time with the Lord, even when everyone else in the Home is already busy at work and well done with their Word time.

47. There are all kinds of scheduling problems‚ or distractions that the Enemy will use to try to stop you—or others in your Home—from taking Word time. So you've got to see them as attacks and obstacles that the Enemy has created, dear Family, and refuse to accept them. Don't look at the problems or challenges as just a part of life‚ or something you just have to live with and deal with. Anything that stands in the way of everyone in your Home taking good, solid time with the Lord and His Word is something that you need to fight and overcome.

48. Everyone also needs to be respectful of others' quiet time with the Lord, as well as be diligent with the time the Home allots them for their "temple time." On days when there are private devotions, for example, each Home member is accountable to make the time count that they have scheduled. It's sacred time‚ time to spend with the Lord, untouchable time, and should not be used for anything other than what it is designated for.

49. Jesus deserves your full time and attention, and in order to give Him that, you've got to get rid of every other distraction and fight against the Enemy's temptations. You can bet that the Enemy will try to use anything he can to get you to skip your time in the Word, or some of your time. And it's usually the "good" things he brings along—things that need to be done, people who need help, timely projects that others might be waiting on you for, etc. But you can't let even the "good" things distract you, because you've got to focus on the best, most important thing—your time with Jesus and His Word!

50. (Jesus:) Good, feeding Word times are not just something you can slip into your Home schedule effortlessly and without any snags or problems. That would be the ideal, but it's not reality, especially when you have the Enemy fighting you and trying to do all that he can to make any initiatives you make as a Home disasters‚ or at the very least, a real struggle.

51. But you can't let the Enemy scare you out with his boos. You can't take no for an answer. Don't accept things not working for your Home; fight to iron out the kinks. Don't settle for 75% success. Strive for 100% success—everyone in the Home having their full 1½ hours of Word time every day. Fight for freedom from the Enemy's snags and attempts to stop you from reading My Word.

52. Every single person in your Home needs to have good Word time every day. So do whatever is necessary‚ as a Home and individually, to ensure that. Don't accept the Enemy's "it can't be done" attempts. It will take sacrifices, as different Home members have to cover for others so that they can have their Word time too. It will mean not always getting your first preference of Word time slots. It will mean scheduling and rearranging the details.

53. Dear Home members, if you're needed to fill in for someone else so that they can have their time with Me, whatever you do‚ don't look at this as a chore and a laborious task or murmur about the sacrifice. If you're smart you'll look the Enemy in the face and thumb your nose at him, telling him that your sacrifice is making it possible for your fellow Home members to get their time with Me, which is a key in helping your Home to be a winning team, and that's really going to defeat him.

54. Praise Me when you're called on to fill in slots so that others can have their Word time, or when the schedule is a little less than smooth in order to accommodate everyone's Word time needs. Praise Me for My power to help you to fight distractions. Remember that by doing whatever is necessary as a Home to ensure that everyone is able to take good, solid time with Me, you're knocking the Devil for a loop in the spirit. You're overcoming! You're winning!

Institute safeguards and be your brother's keeper

55. (Mama:) Your best strength and defense as a Home is the Word. It's what will keep you, what will fight for you, and what will bring you through every battle. It's not simply for your edification‚ inspiration, and guidance. It is your very salvation. So you need to do whatever it takes to ensure that your times in the Word—personal and united—are not encroached upon. You need to be your brother's keeper in this regard as well, helping and checking one another, supporting one another, and being each other's personal safeguard.

56. Anyone can become alienated from the Word, so we all need loving help from our brothers and sisters. Those who have gone astray in the past fell into the clutches of the Enemy because they became alienated from the Lord and from His Word first. That's where it all begins: a falling away from the Lord and His Word. So if your Home isn't living in the Word, and if individuals within the Home are not looking out for each other in this regard, then your whole Home will begin sinking.

57. Also, remember that Obstacon is the master of obstacles, of all that obstructs us from absorbing and living the Word. So aside from rebuking him in the power of the keys, safeguarding your personal Word time and being your brother's keeper by helping your fellow Home members with their Word time is a major defeat to Obstacon, and all of the other demons who fight the Word and your intake of it.

58. (Jesus:) As I have revealed‚ Obstacon is a sly and cunning fox, and thus he has manifested himself in your life. Most of the time you do not see him as a big, fat, Buddha-type demon, a huge and insurmountable obstacle. But his attacks are often very foxy, eating from the vine of your spiritual life one grape at a time. He is very sly in using good things to distract you from the very best things. He uses your work, or logical reasons why you shouldn't take time with Me or why you should skimp on your Word time.

59. He uses the tactics of little time‚ of bringing other very important things into your life that seem like they are worthy enough of taking precedence over your time with Me, your time in My arms, your time receiving from Me. He does not use obvious tactics, but his work is subtle. In fact, he works so slyly that you may not always even feel his attacks in your life. He works gently, subtly, slowly, but his attacks are nevertheless dangerous and lethal. He attacks in ways that aren't obviously noticeable unless you really examine your life and habits and ask Me how he's attacking. This is where his greatest power lies, in being able to attack and hinder without his victim even knowing he's around.

60. Obstacon has many forms, and he is often like a leech. He attaches himself to you and starts sucking your blood, and you don't feel him. The Word is your lifeblood, your very essence‚ and what sustains you. So he sucks your spiritual blood little by little, very subtly, by distracting you with a little here and a little there‚ with one good intention after another. You don't even feel him sucking your blood. You don't know he's attached. Just like you can't usually feel a leech attached to you, you can't often feel Obstacon and his attacks. But if left unnoticed‚ if disregarded, Obstacon can do you serious damage, can suck the very life out of you without your even knowing it!

61. I know this analogy sounds a little gruesome and disgusting, but it's how it is in the spirit. A leech of the spirit is one of Obstacon's forms. It is significant of how I see him. He is very small and easily missed. He also attaches himself to you strongly, and if you try to pull him off on your own, in your own strength, it just won't work. All it takes is the salt of My Spirit and the power of the keys to defeat him. If you pour this mixture on him, he falls and withers away and you are instantly released from his grip. In My eyes he is puny, small, and easily defeated. But his danger lies in going undetected. The key is to recognize him and how he's attacking, and then rebuke him and take the steps necessary to defeat him.

62. Your obedience to the Word revolution is your repellent against him attacking you. When you're obeying and listening and diligently keeping the guidelines I give you‚ then your blood tastes disgusting to him and is as poison. Your obedience is a repellent, a poison that fights Obstacon. He knows this, and will stay far away from you. He cannot attach himself to you if you are obeying. He cannot suck and take from you your lifeblood when you have My full protection through obedience.

63. Obstacon is subject to the keys of imprisonment. Through your obedience, you erect a force field of protection around about you that he is unable to penetrate. The safeguards I and others give you, and your obedience to them, lock out Obstacon so that he can no longer hinder you. But if at any time you disobey‚ or disregard what I have asked you, breaches may form in your wall of protection. He will always be seeking a way in, a way to hinder you‚ but your obedience will keep the walls strong. This is why your obedience is so important, because if you disobey or disregard My safeguards, you can be sure that he will be seeking a way in.

64. You may not even realize it if he gains entrance through a breach, because he is sly and slithers through unbeknownst to you many times. So the best safeguard against him is unceasing obedience to the guidelines I give you in regard to your Word time, your time with Me in spiritual feeding and strengthening. Come to Me regularly, ensuring that you are keeping your part of the bargain, that you are heeding My counsel, as well as to receive further ways to strengthen and reinforce your walls of defense against this demon who seeks to hinder and distract you from the most important thing in your life—My Word.

65. You can be sure that he will not give up the fight easily. As you set in place safeguards to prevent his present attacks and distractions, he will conjure up new things to test you with. So you must continually reassess your safeguards, making sure they are as strong as they need to be. If he starts attacking you in a new or different way, you'll have to modify your defense. As circumstances change and new factors enter into the equation, you'll have to recheck your safeguards with Me to make sure they are up to standard and that your wall of protection is as strong as it needs to be.

66. As time and tactics change‚ you will need to change your strategies and safeguards too. According to the need I will give you the answers and solutions you need to jealously guard your time with Me and My Word.

67. What I want to bless you with is a reward, a gift‚ and I want you to look at it as such. I want to give you reprieve from the struggle of trying to fit in your Word time. By helping you to put safeguards in place, I want to take away the difficulties. I will make your times with Me much easier, more enjoyable, more feeding, and an integral part of your life‚ a deeply grounded part of your life that is immovable. If you put safeguards in place, and if you stick with the plan I lay out for you‚ you won't feel the constant struggle of always fighting for this time. It will become a habit, something you automatically do‚ a part of your very being.

68. Taking your time with Me will become like sleeping every night. It will be natural, automatic, and something you never miss. You'll do it every day, and the Devil won't be able to attack you so furiously in this way. You'll have put safeguards in place so that he won't be able to fritter away our time together or steal our precious moments. Of course, he will continue to attack you in other areas. You can be sure he'll fight to keep you from being fed; he'll cause your mind to wander, and he will use any battle he can think of, because he hates My Word. But he won't be fighting you so hard in the area of actually spending time with Me, he won't be able to steal our time, and this will be a very big victory, a victory well worth the fight and the effort.

69. It's a gift—the gift of protecting your most sacred time, your time with Me. I will bless you, and you won't struggle so much on a daily basis to find the time to be with Me or to keep first things first, or to keep the Enemy's distractions at bay. I will give you a plan, you will follow that plan every day, and it will be simple. You will feel the benefits in every area of your life. You will be strengthened in ways you've always wished for. The Word will become even more alive to you than it is now. These are My promises to you.

The Word should never be dismissed, even when things are busy

70. (Mama:) The times when it's easiest to skimp on the Word or to neglect the Word‚ as I said earlier, are when things are very busy—which they so often are in our lives for the Lord, especially these days with the restructuring and strengthening of the Family. But just because things are busy, or even hectic, is not a good enough reason for pushing the Lord and the Word out of our lives.

71. When there's a lot to do, we need extra grace, anointing, and strength—and all of that comes from the time we spend with Jesus and the Word that we imbibe. When we acknowledge Him and put Him first, He helps us. Otherwise, if we steam ahead in our own strength‚ trying to busily serve Him without His power, we end up spent and frazzled and stressed out.

72. It's human nature to feel that we'll lose out if we take time for the Word. We feel that our Word time is sometimes better spent doing something that's going to translate into real, tangible, solid progress. But when you're tempted with thoughts like this, remember that the Lord isn't going to let the work suffer if you put Him first‚ because He's more interested in seeing things get done than you are. You can be sure that if you put Him first every day, then He will help you to do what needs to get done that day, and even help things to go more smoothly for you. Things will go better all around when you obey and put the Lord first.

73. No matter how much work there is to do, our Husband will always help us to get it done faster and better when we have taken our mandated time in His Word. Then we're going about our day with His stamp of approval and His full blessings. Then He's able to do His part, what He specializes in—empowering, infilling, inspiring, and giving us the strength we need to serve Him. It's not a big thing at all for Him to help us in our practical work and daily lives, but sometimes it's a big thing for us to learn the full value of depending on Him.

74. (Jesus:) Things aren't going to be perfect or smooth sailing. Things are going to be stressful and busy. You are going to be tired and spent. Things will come up that you're not expecting and that you have to deal with. But you have to maintain your stability despite it all. And you do this by being faithful with your Word time every day, and hearing from Me. You do it by filling your mind and heart continually, at every opportunity, with faith-building thoughts and promises.

75. Even though there's so much to do, don't skimp on the things that are essential to your spiritual health and well-being—such as the Word, prayer, praise, and hearing from Me. If you're not faithful with these things, then you'll wear out and burn out fast, and then you won't be much good to anyone, let alone a key player in helping to win this war. Your Home won't be the key battalion I need you to be.

76. The Enemy loves to tempt you to jump right into work without stopping to take your time with Me, especially when there's so much to do. He loves to make you think you don't need Me, that you can do it without Me, that you can make it on your own. Well‚ maybe at times you can, but something will be lacking—you'll be lacking My full power. You will go through the day with less power, less inspiration, less anointing, and you will feel drained and spent when the work is done. But by taking time with Me, I give you more power, inspiration, anointing, and a special joy in your labors.

77. I love you depending on Me and coming to Me. Even when you feel you have your work mapped out for you, and it's almost automatic to do what I've given you to do‚ I love it even more when you take time with Me under these circumstances. I know the Enemy fights and tells you that it's not worth it, that you don't really need to take the time with Me, but it's so important. I doubly bless you for taking time in My Word when you do it even when you don't feel like you need to in the natural, or when you do it in spite of other work temptations.

78. I will help you, bless you, and pour down My anointing in full abundance every day that you put Me first. That's My unbreakable promise. It's a mystery of My Spirit, how I oil everything with My power when you are leaning and depending on Me‚ but it's the truth. Your day always goes better when you take your time with Me and My Word.

79. I will help you and anoint you and give you strength, and you won't wear out if you do your part. Always remember, every single burden, every single to-do, every single thing you put your hands to do is My work and My concern. Cast all of your cares upon Me‚ for I care for you and for the work that must be done. You must only do your part by putting Me first‚ and I will do the rest.

80. I will bless those who put Me first in very tangible and noticeable ways. Not only will your work go smoother and be more accurate, but I will also give you deeper joy and happiness throughout your day. I'll give you benefits in the form of giving you more strength—both physical and spiritual. I'll help you to feel more invigorated, even though there won't be physical contributors to this feeling of vitality. I'll even help you not to feel tired at times, overriding even the physical needs you might have when necessary‚ if you are putting Me first and loving Me and My Word more than anything.

81. As you supply My needs, I will supply yours—even through miraculous or inexplicable means. I will bless you in the ways that mean the very most to you. I will reward you with treasures of the spirit that you are most desirous of. I will shower you with spiritual riches of the greatest value, and I will give you joy and satisfaction from the deepest wells of My Spirit.

Be willing to change and keep things inspiring

82. (Mama:) In order to keep the Word revolution alive in your Homes, you've got to be willing to reevaluate things pretty regularly. When things aren't going so well, or your devotions and times in the Word are getting routine and boring, pray about how to spice things up. Be willing to change; be flexible. Your Home needs variety when it comes to your times in the Word. If you want to promote a hunger for the Word together‚ then your united Word times should be interesting and inspiring.

83. Although it's essential to have the Word habit and be in a "rut" as far as doing it every day, it's important not to let your time with the Lord become boring or routine, or get in a rut as far as what you read, how you read it, how you praise, how you pray, and all the rest. The habit of regular time spent with the Lord can and should be a rut, an unchanging part of your Home‚ but what you do during that time should always be fresh and new and alive and changing.

84. Part of your Home shepherds' portfolio is to keep your Home stirred up spiritually, and to help ensure that your united Word times are feeding and inspiring. But you shouldn't leave all the work with them. They're not going to dictate what's done and how it's done. It's your Home, so you should help to make it happen. You have ideas, burdens, and suggestions of how you like things done, so contribute to your Home in this way. Don't just depend on your shepherds to come up with all the ideas and do all the work. Volunteer when they need help. Share your suggestions and ideas. Be a contributor.

85. It's also probably a good idea to monitor and evaluate how you're doing in your Word time as a Home, to check that you're not stagnating or getting stuck in ruts. Again, this is something that falls under the Home shepherds' portfolio, and they will probably bring it up for discussion or prayer from time to time. But since every Home member is responsible for the spiritual state of their Home, as per Home accountability, it's not just the Home shepherds' responsibility. So if you feel that your united devotions or Word times are getting a little dry, or that something needs to change, then you should speak up to your Home shepherds about it, share your suggestions‚ and be willing to help in whatever way they need you to.

86. (Jesus:) Usually when you feel like your Word time just isn't cutting it and isn't what you'd like it to be, it's because you need to change something. Sometimes it's a matter of changing the time of day that you have your Word time. Sometimes it's a matter of changing the location where you have your Word time. Sometimes it's a matter of changing your Word plan. Sometimes it's just a matter of doing something small to spice things up.

87. Your Word time should never be dull and boring. You've got to keep changing, keep revoluting, keep progressing, keep charting new territories in the spirit. You've got to stay free in the spirit as a Home, and continue to be open to My new ideas and new ways of doing things, so that your Word time can be as fun, challenging, inspiring, rejuvenating, and fulfilling as I want it to be.

88. Try new things. If something doesn't work or isn't bearing fruit, change it. If your Word plan is getting a bit old and you need some variety, ask Me for a new plan. Don't be bound to the way you did things last week, yesterday, or even today. Always be willing to change, to keep things moving in the spirit, so that your united Word times are alive, fresh, and cutting-edge.

89. Always be open to change, to modifying tactics, to having variety in your Word plan. If a plan you've been working through for a while seems to get a little tedious or boring or you need more variety, come back to Me and ask Me for a new plan and I will give it to you.

90. And, of course, remember that no matter how well planned or inspiring or interesting a united devotional plan might be, it can still be dull and boring if you aren't entering in, if you aren't giving the Word your full attention, and if your heart isn't right. No matter what you read, even if it's not perfectly packaged or as exciting as you would like it to be‚ there's always something new to learn, some new gem I want to entrust you with from My Word mine. Much of what you gain is up to you.

If you have failed in living the Word revolution as a Home, don't give up

91. (Mama:) If you haven't been faithful with the Word revolution requirements‚ don't give up‚ dear Family! Try again. Yes, there is a loss when we don't put the Lord first and when we let other things crowd out our time in the Word, but we shouldn't let our past failures stop us from being obedient today. You can start over, with a clean slate, and renew your commitments personally and as a Home.

92. (Jesus) I love you, My darlings, even when you walk astray. I'm always ready to take you back with open arms. I never allow your mistakes or negligence to erect a wall between us. I'm always ready to take you back, and My heart is always filled with love for you. Today it is just as strong as ever.

93. When you neglect Me and My Word‚ I feel sad for you—sad that you missed out on receiving more of My love‚ sad that you weren't able to feel My love as strongly and experience My blessings as fully. When you neglect Me, I miss our times together, but the overwhelming feeling in My heart is knowing that you have lost out, that you missed the blessings that come from our special times together‚ and that I can't reward you as fully.

94. It's sad for Me when you forget Me or do other things in place of your time in My Word, because there's so much I want to give you, so much I want to bless you with, so much I want to fill your lives and Homes with. But when you don't come to Me, I can't give you all that I want to give you. When you don't come to Me, you don't open up the chute for My blessings to be channeled to you.

95. I know that there are many reasons why you push Me aside—the pressures of life, the distractions of your work, the busyness of your schedules. The times you give in to those reasons are not usually blunders of the heart but of the mind. I know you love Me‚ but when you neglect Me it's mostly to your own hurt, it's your loss. I get sad, not angry. I feel frustrated that I can't give you everything I want to give you, not mad and wanting to punish you.

96. When you don't take your time with Me and My Word‚ the loss is that you miss some of what you might have otherwise received from My hand. And that happens not because I'm angry at you, but just because I'm sadly held back from giving you as much as I would like to. It's the dynamics of the spirit: You are blessed in proportion to the time you spend with Me, in proportion to your obedience.

97. That's why I love it so much when you come to Me, when you spend time with Me. I am your loving Husband, and I love to dote on you, to bestow gifts upon you. But when you don't come to Me, I can't give you as much. I can't give you My presents and gifts when you aren't with Me to receive them. I prepare special gifts for you each day, and it's My heart's desire to give them to you. But if you don't come to Me and spend sufficient time with Me‚ I can't give them to you, and it makes Me sad—sad because I can't give you the gifts I long to give you, and sad that you're missing out on what you might have otherwise had.

98. Every day I prepare new gifts for you. I carefully wrap each one with My tender hands, and each gift is perfectly suited to you for each day. As My Word says, each day My mercies are renewed toward you. Each day I prepare new presents for you. Each day is new, fresh, and a chance to make things right. Come to Me, even if you've missed some days of spending intimate time with Me, because you can pick up where you left off. You may have missed some past gifts, but you can ensure that you don't miss today's gifts and blessings that I have for you—and all the others that I will prepare for you in the days to come.

99. I hope that little message will help you to remember to come to Me for deep lovemaking, for our personal gift-giving session in the spirit no matter how busy you are. Looking at it in this way and knowing what you might miss out on if you don't take the time, should help you guard it all the more vigilantly.

Talk About It

(Note: Following are some optional discussion questions on the preceding topic, which you can feel free to use if and when the Lord leads you to.)

• Does everyone in your Home have a minimum of 1½ hours of Word time every day‚ or a minimum of 10½ hours per week? This time can include Word study time, personal prophecy time, memorization and review, meaningful discussions about the Word, classes you teach others if they are personally feeding‚ praise time, loving Jesus intimately‚ etc. (See "What Is Jesus Worth to You?" ML #3433, GN 1016) If so, then you can praise the Lord for His help in reaching the goal. If not, why not, and what can be done to change things?

• If your Home's united devotions and Word times have been a bit lackluster and dull, brainstorm ways to spice things up.

• Talk about times in your lives when you didn't put the Lord and His Word first, and what the negative results were—either immediate results, or results that came over a period of time. Then share testimonies when you did put the Lord and His Word first, even when you didn't feel like you could afford it, and how He blessed you as a result.

• Discuss practical ways that you can be your brother's keepers in obeying the Word revolution, without allowing self-righteousness in.

Praise Ideas

(Note: Following are some optional praise ideas. You may want to use one or more of these during your united reading of this GN. Or else you could use them to spice up any other devotions, meetings, or prayer vigils as a Home.)

• Outstanding Word praise: Think about a recent Letter or GN you read that made a big impact on you, or that especially inspired you, or that pulled you through a difficult time in your life. Explain why it spoke to you or helped you, and praise the Lord for it.

• "The Word is…" praise: Choose a bunch of phrases from the Letters and GNs about how powerful the Word is‚ the effects of the Word, etc. Such as, "The Word is our ballast; it's what keeps us and gives us the strength we need to make the changes the Lord is asking of us." Or, "The Word is our lifeblood, as necessary as the air that we breathe." Print them out or write them on slips of paper, and give everyone a slip to read‚ expound on‚ and use as the basis for a praise about the Word. (Hint: You'll be able to pull lots from this GN.)

• Charades praise: Choose some titles of Letters that focus on the Word, and have charades praise. Someone acts out the title, and when it is guessed correctly, everyone takes a few minutes to popcorn praises about that Letter—anything that you remember from it‚ or how it convicted you or helped you to change, etc. Or, you could praise for where you were and what you were doing when that Letter came out.

"Do" the Word

(Note: Here are some optional practical ideas of ways to be "doers of the Word" on the subject we're focusing on. Some of these direct your attention to a "do" clause in one of the preceding messages. Others are completely new suggestions the Lord gave of simple ways you might be able to apply the pointers in this GN section in your Home. These are not mandatory assignments, but suggestions for you to consider and use as you feel led.)

• Hear from the Lord, in your personal P&P time‚ about how you're doing with your Word habits. Ask Him some or all of the following questions: "How am I doing? Am I getting good, solid, feeding Word time every day?" "Are my safeguards for protecting my Word time sufficient? Should I change anything?" "How can I be fed more from the Word?" "In what ways is the Enemy trying to attack me now in regards to my Word time?"

• Assess your personal Word time safeguards. Are you doing all you can to ensure that your Word time isn't encroached upon by other things? Do you have a quiet place to take your time with the Lord? Do you put out your "do not disturb" sign, or have some other way of informing others that you're taking time in the "temple"? If you read Word on a computer, do you ensure that you are free from distractions like incoming e-mail? Do you have some way of ensuring that you always get your Word time—such as by having a chart that you tick off every day, or a Word time buddy that you report to, or a quote book that you are committed to putting new quotes in every day, or some other safeguard or form of accountability?

• Determine if there is anything practical that you can do as a Home to make for better Word time. For example, ensure that your lit library is organized, that someone is posting the notice of each WS mailing as it comes in‚ that someone checks the MO site for post-it only GNs and notices and prints them out or makes them available to the Home.

• If you are having problems personally, or as a Home, that are affecting your Word times—such as distractions, laziness, procrastination, lack of organization—then have united prayer and claim victories in these areas. Rebuke the Enemy and his demons that are trying to cut off the power of the Word in your lives (Obstacon, Oplexicon, Arakan, Apotheon, Pan, Lethargy‚ etc.). If the problems are practical‚ claim the solutions or the supply of your needs through the power of the keys.

• Get together as a Home and play some fun Word-based games.

• Pick some cool, fascinating, mysterious, or funny quotes from the Letters over the years, and read them together over a special Home dinner, to renew your appreciation for the variety and wonder of the Word.

• If you need to spice up your Word times, or change things around a bit to ensure more quality Word time, either personally or unitedly‚ try some of the following tips:

* Rather than having straight Word time, try a potpourri of things in one setting—some memorization and review, some familiarization with your spirit helpers and hinderers, some praise time, some good prayer time, and some Word reading sprinkled throughout.

* Read through personal prophecies that you've received over the years, as a feeding review, and take note of any "to–dos" you haven't done yet.

* Sometimes when you're reading the Word, thoughts that are totally unrelated pop into your mind. Maybe it's something you had planned to do that day, or an idea in the back of your mind that just pops up from nowhere. This can be a distraction, so to avoid it, have a notebook on hand where you can jot down a quick note. If you put the note on paper, it's out of your mind and you know that you'll have that reminder to think about it later. But then it won't take up your time in the Word or continue distracting you.

* Go slower when you're reading. Even if you have to go very slow to assimilate everything and take in the full meaning, that's okay. It's much better to read less Word and get more out of it than to read more Word and get less out of it. The quality is more important than the quantity.

* Pray more desperately before you begin your Word time. Claim the keys more specifically, that you'll be deeply fed and inspired from your time in the Word, and that the Lord will speak to you through it. Pray that He will keep away distractions and help you to absorb what you're reading.

* If you're reading something new, pray that the Lord will help you to grasp everything He's saying and revealing, and that you will have a good understanding of His Words. If you're reading something old, pray that He will reveal new and different things you hadn't seen before, those hidden treasures His Word speaks of.

* Pull quotes that speak to you from each Letter you read. This teaches you to dig for the jewels, and going over your favorite quotes from time to time gives you a good review.

* Have a solid Word plan, or a Word list, that you're working through, as there will undoubtedly be days when you won't feel as much like getting in the Word, or you will feel a little lost as to exactly what you should read. On those days especially, it's important that you have a list or plan to refer to, so that you don't put off your Word time simply because you're unsure of what to read. Of course, you can ask the Lord on the spot, but having a list on hand makes it easier for you on those days when you're feeling weak and lazy. Then you can just glance at the list or plan and ask the Lord which one He would have you read.

* Having the printed Letters or files (if you're using a computer) for your Word plan or Word list in one place is a good idea. That way you don't have to go searching for what you're going to read during your Word time‚ thus losing valuable time. Make it as easy as possible to get in the Word, so that the Enemy won't be able to use any excuses to stop or delay you.

* Have extra praise time before delving into the Word, which makes you more desirous of it. Praise creates more of a vacuum in your heart.

* Cut up a bunch of excerpts from a few Letters and put them in a bowl. Pass the bowl around, and each person can pick out the quote, read it, and say a little something about what it means to them, what it makes them think of, or anything neat the Lord brings to their minds.

* Pick a topic for devotions, and ask everyone to bring a quote (or a few quotes) on that topic. For example, quotes on Heaven, quotes on revolutionary discipleship, quotes on heavenly thought power, quotes on comparing‚ etc.

* Ask everyone to bring some information about their personal spirit helpers to devotions to share with everyone.

* Have a prophecy devotions. Hear from the Lord about anything and everything during devotions. Be sure to record it.

Annihilate!

Obstacon: Fights our Word time and absorption of the Word. Distracts and tempts us with other things.

Oplexicon: Archdemon who fights the flow of the Word and the truth.

Activate!

Archangel Michael: Captain of the Lord's host, who commands the CHCF (Channelers' High Command Force, or "Chiefs") and defeats the demons who try to obstruct our channels. He, along with Gabriel and Raphael, fights all of the demons who oppose the Word.

Archangel Gabriel: Keeper of the reservoir of God, and protector and preserver of the flow of the Word.

Archangel Raphael: Ministers the Word‚ true and unadulterated.

Fairy Angel Fighters: Aid the archangels in defeating Obstacon and Oplexicon.

Hot Key: Prospecting

100. (Jesus:) The key of prospecting will aid you in digging, seeking, exploring, and garnering, as you read My written Word and as you receive My Words in prophecy. A prospector doesn't just take things at face value, but he digs deeper, always anticipating the jewels and gold and precious metals he will find. He has a keen eye for things of value, and this is a spiritual gift I wish to give you in greater measure. You can call on the key of prospecting as you read My Word, and it will guide you to new truths and revelations and discoveries you wouldn't otherwise find; it will open your eyes to the gems and jewels and precious stones of the spirit. Call also on this key when hearing from Me‚ and it will cleanse your channel and give you a keener sensitivity and open your eyes more fully to the realm of the spirit world.

Prayer Boost

(Note: Following is a short written prayer on the topic of taking time for the Word that you, as a Home, can pray together, to claim our Husband's power as you progress in this area.)

101. (Prayer: ) Dear strong, powerful Jesus! We love and need You and Your Word desperately! We know we can't live without it, we can't function without it, and we can't be the team that You need us to be without it. Without You and Your Word we're absolutely nothing. We're just a big zero. Your Word is what fuels us. Your Word is what makes something out of our nothing. Your Word is what transforms us from weak human beings into called-out disciples for You.

102. Jesus, we're so sorry that we haven't always put You and Your Word first. Please forgive us for the times when we've failed You, when we haven't lived up to the standard You laid forth in "What Is Jesus Worth to You?" There's no excuse for our disobediences; we've made You sad, we've missed out on some of the blessings You've wanted to give us‚ and we're so sorry, dear Love. We want to start afresh. We ask You, in humility‚ to wipe the slates of our lives and Home clean, so that we can begin anew, with You and Your Word in first place.

103. We call on the power of the keys of revolution and commitment to aid us, Jesus, because we know we can't make any changes—much less these important Word revolution changes, which we know the Enemy will fight—without You. Please direct the awesome force of Your power into the Enemy's territory and destroy the influence of Obstacon, Oplexicon, Arakan‚ Apotheon, Pan, and Lethargy, who fight the Word and our times with You. Free us from their influence, and fill our hearts and minds and souls and spirits with a solid conviction and determination to keep the Word in first place no matter what the cost.

104. Speed Gabriel, Michael, Raphael, and Arcothon to our sides to help us as we do our part and take the steps of obedience You're asking of us. Please give us all the spirit help we need, as we unite today as one body before You, and once again commit to keeping the Word in first place in our lives and Homes from this day forth. We wield our undefeatable weapon of praise against the Enemy and his attempts to cut us off from the Word‚ our source of power. We know he won't succeed, because we've taken a stand in the spirit against him this day.

105. Thank You for Your Word, which gives us the faith and power for every commitment, including this one to live in Your Word and keep it in first place. We know that as we do, You will bless us as You have promised. We will begin to see the fruit of our obedience. All glory to You‚ Jesus! May Your Word reign in our hearts and Homes more strongly than ever from this point on! Thank You for the victory!

[Pithy Proverbs for this section:]

Trying to operate as a Home without the Word is like trying to fly an airplane without fuel.

When you keep your most important appointment of the day and you give Jesus your prime time, He can't help but bless you.

There is always enough time in the day to accomplish all that the Lord has planned for you, if you put Him first.

Put your time in the Word at the top of your Home's to-do list, and your Home will be "on top" of everything else.

Taking time with the Lord creates an instant connection, so that He can download His blessings upon you.

Putting Jesus and His Word first is the best decision your Home can make every day.

Your own resolve will not save you, but resolve and faith and conviction that is based on and fed by the Word will keep you.

The Word is your protective gear, and will keep you from being seared by the Enemy.

The Word isn't the cherry on top of the cake; it is the cake.

The Word is like a vault of unmatched power, but it's only opened through your obedience.

[End of Pithy Proverbs]

Obeying The Word

The Brief

106. (Mama:) Winning Homes are not just hearers of the Word, they're doers. They know that without action the Word is just letters, words‚ and paragraphs on pages. They know that reading the Word is the easy part, but that applying the Word, living the Word‚ doing the Word, and obeying the Word is what makes the difference between church Christians and the revolutionary children of David.

107. Disciples in winning team Homes do their best to apply the Word to their own lives and to their Home. They follow through on assignments and instructions given in the Word, and they make changes in their Homes as a result of the New Wine. The Word directs them and their Home; it guides them, and thus protects them, because they are in God's highest will through obedience. Winning Homes are maximizers, not minimizers.

Pointers for Winning Teams

Obeying the Word is as important as reading it

108. Reading the Word is a good start. Getting in your minimum 1½ hours of Word per day is serious progress, but that's not all you should do. The second half of the equation is the "doing," the "obeying." If the Word isn't put into action, then it has no power to change your lives and Homes. If you're not implementing the Word and doing what it says‚ then how can you expect to see the results the Word promises? You can't.

109. Reading the Word but not doing anything about it is about as effective as trying to catch an airplane to another country without actually buying the ticket and catching the flight. Even if you have researched all the information about how to purchase a ticket and have all the money ready to buy it, if you don't go to the travel agent and pay for the ticket and make your way to the airport and get on your plane, you'll never get to your destination. So you might as well not even have the knowledge or the money, because it's not going to do you any good if you don't do anything with it.

110. It's the same with the Word. You have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips through the Word. The Word clearly outlines how to get from where you are today to the "winning team" destination tomorrow. The Word is all of the spiritual cash you will ever need. But if you don't take steps to obey what the Word says, then you definitely won't get where you're trying to go as a Home. Through your choices, you can make the Word effective or of no effect.

111. You, as winning Homes, need to realize that being doers of the Word is just as important as reading the Word—if not more so. If you're just going to read the Word and not do anything about it, then you might as well not even go to all the trouble.

112. (Jesus:) Being a doer of the Word is a two-part battle. First you have to read the Word‚ absorb it, think about it, and apply it. Then you have to do it. It's the "doing it" part that's often lacking.

113. If you just read the Word and don't live it, with time you will become self-righteous, stuck in your rut‚ proud, inflexible, familiar with My Spirit, dull to My voice‚ and numb to My conviction. Your faith will die. Sadly, you will be very accountable and will be found very lacking.

114. However, if you read the Word and do your best to live it every day, even if you feel you're taking baby steps, this will be the fruit in your life: It will keep you humble, desperate with Me‚ reaching out to others for help. It will keep you flowing, flexible, a new bottle in spirit. It will strengthen your convictions. You will see miracles and grow in faith.

115. Be a "doer" Home! Live My Words to the best of your ability! You will always be imperfect. You will always have areas to improve. You will always face battles. But if you are doing your best to live My Word, you will be successful, fruitful, and blessed. The obstacles will be seen as challenges. You will have the faith to overcome. You will be rich in the rewards of obedience. You will be happy.

Obedience to the Word should be a Home goal

116. (Mama: ) Obeying the Word, doing the Word, and implementing the counsel in the Word is a goal that is best reached as a Home. It's not easy, but obeying the Word is part of being winners. There are no disobedient, slothful, or lethargic winners. Winners are doers.

117. Pray and ask the Lord how your Home can cultivate an atmosphere of being doers of the Word. What can you do to help one another, to safeguard one another, and to make obedience the "in thing"? Don't just do the minimum. Do the maximum. Decide as a Home that you're going to not just read the Word, but live it—not in a self-righteous way, but with large measures of love, prayerfulness, humility, and wisdom. "As a Home you'll do it better…"

118. (Jesus:) Obeying the Word is difficult; it's not easy. It's one of the things the Enemy fights the most, because he knows that once the Word is implemented in lives and Homes, its power is multiplied many times over. So you've got to band together as a Home to defeat the Enemy.

119. Being truly obedient to the Word is something that is best accomplished in a communal environment, and that's one of the main reasons I have encouraged larger Homes. I know that with more help and support, the chances of the Word being implemented and obeyed are much higher. I know that in larger Homes there will be more safeguards, better shepherding, and hopefully more positive peer pressure. I intend for you to help one another, to make obedience to the Word a major Home goal.

120. First you need to make the goal as a Home to dedicate time every day to reading the Word. Then the second step—and just as important as the first—is to aim to apply the Word fully. As a Home you can make it. As a Home you can reach these goals. Whereas if you're striving for them on your own, you're much more likely to get discouraged and quit, because you'll feel like you're fighting a losing battle on your own.

121. Of course‚ you need to be personally accountable to Me as a disciple. Each of you stands before Me on your own, and must give account to Me of your actions. But Home accountability is such that you can all work together and employ the strength of unity when reaching for your goal. Obeying the Word is easier when it's a team goal, when you're working at it together with others of like mind.

122. Trying to create a winning team without obeying the Word is like trying to make bread without flour. It just won't happen! So if you want to succeed, My brides, band together around the standard of the Word, and implement it in your lives and Homes like everything depends on it—because it does.

123. Failure to implement and obey the Word as a Home will lead to failure as a team‚ whereas "doing" the Word is key to success. Make obedience to the Word a Home goal, and the results will be phenomenal!

Spur one another on

124. (Mama:) We all go through times in our lives when we're not at the "top of our game" spiritually. We all go through lazy phases, or times when we're just plain tired of the fight. But times like those are when the team spirit needs to come to the fore. As winning team members, you've got to encourage and motivate your brother or sister who is having a difficult time, or who is going through a rough spot in his or her life. This is part of being your brother's keeper.

125. (Jesus: ) Being your brother's keeper is all about love. It's about loving enough to care. So when a fellow Home member or loved one is going through a rough time and it's obvious they're not excelling in their obedience to the Word, you should love enough to care.

126. Caring doesn't always mean correcting the person or even talking to them about what you've noticed. Often that's best left up to the Home shepherds. But being your brother's keeper means doing whatever I show you to do in a situation to bring about change, whether it's notifying your shepherds that someone is going through a rough patch so that they're aware of it, or praying for that person, that I will help them to put on their fighting gear once again and get back in the arena to fight for progress.

127. Whenever you notice someone else being a little weak in their implementation of the Word, it helps to remind yourself of what a failure you are sometimes, so that you don't get self-righteous and critical. Remind yourself that you're far from winning an "Oscar" in the "doer of the Word" category yourself. So approach the situation humbly and lovingly, knowing that I work in everyone's life at different times, and you're all human and in need of Me.

128. However, despite the times when Home members might be really going through a rough spot, and you need to be more prayerful and communicate with your Home shepherds on such issues, there's lots you can do in everyday life to promote obedience to the Word. For example, talking about the Word and how you have recently applied it to your life helps. Sharing prophecies you received after reading certain GNs, when I showed you what to do personally, promotes a spirit of obedience within the Home.

129. Telling testimonies about how something you implemented from the Word worked for you also stimulates a spirit of obedience. The point is to do whatever you can to help one another‚ to spur one another on‚ and to do your part—however small it may be—to help the spirit of obedience to thrive within your Home. Contribute to the fun of it through your attitude, actions‚ and words of encouragement to others.

Nail down the "enemies" of obedience

130. (Mama:) In order to be cutting-edge "doers of the Word" as a Home and as disciples, it's important to determine what causes you to be lax in your application of the Word. Is it your pride that holds you back from implementing the Word? Is it your carnal mind or analytical thinking that holds you back? Is it that you feel you are too busy to do the hard work of putting the Word into action? Is it laziness or lethargy? Is it procrastination?—Maybe you want to apply the Word, but you keep putting it off for another day and never get to it. Is it disorganization?—You don't plan your schedule or organize your life to make room for taking steps of obedience. Or is it something completely different?

131. Your Home, a Home that is determined to live the Word, needs to uncover and nail down the obstacles and hindrances to applying the Word, and then rid yourselves of those roadblocks. You need to find out what you need to do to change things. Pray about and discover the solutions. Have united prayer. Do whatever it takes. You need to do this as a Home, and also as individuals, since we're all different and have different weaknesses when it comes to applying the Word.

132. (Jesus:) When you read My Word, you need to ask yourself, "Am I living this counsel?" If you're not, ask yourself why. There are many roadblocks to making My Word a reality in your lives and Homes, and Obstacon is always eager to create them for you and put them directly in your path. So expose him!

133. When you get down to business with analyzing how you're doing in your application of My Word, and how you can do better, you're not showing yourself weak; you're showing yourself strong. You're showing yourself obedient. But you have to expose your weaknesses before you can make them your strong points.

134. So when you read something in My Word, ask yourself, "Am I living this? If not, why not? Is it my pride? Is it laziness or lethargy? Am I afraid of what will happen if I throw myself fully into obedience? Is there something I'm not willing to do? Is there something I need to give up in order to make it work? Am I procrastinating?" Those are hard questions to ask yourself, because you know that the answer to even one of them will require some sacrifice to resolve.

135. Living My Word isn't easy. Being My disciple isn't easy. But if you're going to be My disciple and go through so much already in order to serve Me, you might as well go all the way and be in line for My full blessings, power and miracles.

136. As you ask yourself these questions, you'll find that sometimes it takes more than a personal decision to make living the Word a reality. You can do your part‚ but sometimes it's something you need to discuss as a Home.

137. So those are the kind of questions to bring to your Home Council: How can we live the Word? How can we make it a reality? What is holding us back from living it? Do we need to reorganize some aspect of our lives or schedule? Do we need to reexamine our priorities? Do we need to be willing to give a little more of ourselves and our time?

138. If you go into the discussion wanting to make My Word a reality in your lives and Homes and if you're willing to do your part to make it so, I guarantee you that I will be there with the solutions, ready to reveal them to you.

139. It will still be a fight, and you'll have to contend with Obstacon‚ of course. But remember that he is defeated through your obedience. So proceed as if possessing, and watch the red sea of impossibilities part before your eyes. Keep reminding yourselves that there's nothing I ask of you that isn't doable, practical and workable‚ if you're willing to do it My way.

No one is a "special case" when it comes to living the Word

140. (Mama:) When you agree together as a Home on steps or action to take in applying the Word, such as Word or memorization projects, or implementing to-dos from the GNs, everyone should be unitedly aiming for that goal. Everyone should be striving to take the steps, do the actions or complete the assignments. There are no "special cases" when it comes to living and applying the Word—the members of your Steering Council need to follow through, as well as every other member of the Home.

141. And Home members, although it is the Home shepherds' job to help your Home to move forward spiritually, don't rely solely on them to help your Home apply the Word. You need to do your part to cultivate an atmosphere of being doers of the Word together—and that includes making sure that you don't slack off when it comes to doing the assignments in the GNs, or those that you agree on together as a Home.

142. (Jesus:) When you make decisions as a Home to implement the Word or to take action, don't make excuses for yourself. No matter who you are, you need to follow through. There's a way. There's a solution to every obstacle you face, and I can help you to do anything with My strength.

143. Whatever you do, don't assume you're a special case, or think that others in the Home need to apply the Word and implement Home decisions to do so, but that you don't for one reason or another. Once you start making excuses for yourself, there'll be no end to them. The Enemy will be more than happy to give you manifold excuses to keep you from being a doer of the Word. He's an expert at making you feel that you are an exception and can be excused from living the Word.

144. Rebuke the Enemy's attacks and his exceptions! See the special case syndrome for what it is: A ploy of the Enemy to stop you from strengthening your Word application muscles. Counterattack and turn your weakness into a strength. Determine that you're going to now be one of the first to obey, instead of one of the last. The keys of obedience will deflect the excuses of the Enemy, and empower you to be an instant doer of the Word!

Talk About It

(Note: Following are some optional discussion questions on the preceding topic‚ which you can feel free to use if and when the Lord leads you to.)

• Discuss how your Home can actively cultivate an atmosphere of being doers of the Word. Focus on practical things you can do‚ not on what you shouldn't do. Ask yourselves this question: What can we do to help one another‚ to safeguard one another, and to make obedience the "in thing"?

• Discuss some ways that you can be your brother's keeper, if you notice that your friend or a fellow Home member isn't applying the Word in his or her life. You can discuss it with your Home shepherds, or you can pray for the person, but is there anything else you could do—in a spirit of love, humility, prayerfulness, and wisdom?

• Bring some of the following questions to a Home Council‚ to discuss as a Home: How can we live the Word? How can we make it a reality? What is holding us back from living it? Do we need to reorganize an aspect of our lives or schedule? Do we need to take another look at our priorities? Do we need to be willing to give a little more of ourselves and our time?

Praise Ideas

(Note: Following are some optional praise ideas. You may want to use one of more of these during your united reading of this GN. Or else you could use them to spice up any other devotions, meetings, or prayer vigils as a Home.)

• "Pass the parcel" praise: Play a game of pass the parcel. Start with something small, like a soft ball, and wrap newspaper around it. With each layer, include a "do" clause from a Letter (picked ahead of time, of course). Ensure that there are a number of layers, and a good variety of "do" quotes. Sit around in a circle‚ play some music, and pass the parcel. When the music stops, the person holding the parcel unwraps the layer, reads the quote, does what it says‚ and then praises the Lord for the spirit of instant obedience. Or if the quote doesn't say something specific to do, the person can act it out in charade form, or think of something simple to do on the spot that relates to the quote, or praise the Lord for something it reminds them of. For example, Joe picks out the following clause from "Art of War, Part 2": "It's good to build your faith by continuing to pray for situations even when you think they're beyond hope or help, and continuing to send prayer power in that direction until I answer the request." He thinks of a difficult situation, prays for it, and then praises for the power of obedience. Continue in this vein until all of the layers have been unwrapped. (If you can't find enough "do" clauses, or if you don't have time for this, you can substitute them with new ways to praise.)

• Obedience from history: Think about and praise the Lord for different men and women of God throughout history who were examples of obedience. Specify what they did, and praise the Lord for the sample they have been to you. For example, "Thank You, Jesus, for Abraham. He obeyed You and went out not knowing where he was going. That's a sample to me, and makes me praise You for Your foresight and guidance. I know that when I obey You, You're always going to keep me and bless me."

• "When I'm obedient…" praise: This is a praise to help you think about and express the benefits of obedience. For example, one person would praise something like, "Thank You, Jesus‚ that when I'm obedient … I know that I am eligible for Your full blessings." Or, "I praise You‚ dear Love, that when I'm obedient … I can count on Your supply." Or, "I'm so thankful that when I'm obedient … I don't have to feel condemned or worried that I'm not doing my best for You."

"Do" the Word

(Note: Here are some optional practical ideas of ways to be "doers of the Word" on the subject we're focusing on. Some of these direct your attention to a "do" clause in one of the preceding messages. Others are completely new suggestions the Lord gave of simple ways you might be able to apply the pointers in this GN section in your Home. These are not mandatory assignments, but suggestions for you to consider and use as you feel led.)

• When having personal Word time, keep a running list of P&P questions. When you're reading and the Lord brings a question to your mind relating to it, take that P&P question and put it on your list to pray about. This is key to applying the Word in your life.—When you take the things the Lord shows you through the Word, the questions He lays on your heart, and pray about them. Either pray about them then and there, or put them somewhere where you'll be sure to pray about them at the next possible opportunity.

• Have an "implementation of the Word" night. Let everyone in the Home know in advance that on a certain night you will get together and share personal prophecies received after reading some new GN, with counsel from the Lord on your personal application. Each person would share what the Lord showed them to do as a commitment before their fellow Home members‚ and ask for their help and support. You could also tell testimonies about how something you implemented from the Word worked for you in your life.

• Discuss ways you could help one another to be better and more instant doers of the Word—whether from the written Word or counsel received in prophecy—without coming across in a spirit of self-righteousness. What are some practical ideas of ways you can give help to others, and also be helped by others? Create some hypothetical scenarios, and have a Home member express what they might do or say in that situation. Once the idea is shared, others in the room could give additional ideas, or ways that they might handle the situation. Here are some ideas of hypothetical scenarios to get you started‚ but you'll want to create more. (It usually works best if someone creates these scenarios beforehand, so you don't have to come up with them on the spot.)

* John recently shared at a Home Council meeting that the Lord has told him to refrain from drinking any alcohol for six months. However, you have seen him drinking a number of times since then, and he's obviously not obeying the counsel the Lord gave him. What would you do in a situation like this? Should you say something to John? If so, what?

* Paloma recently expressed during devotions that she's trying to implement the power of the keys more in her life. As a start, she's trying to memorize more key promises. How could you, as a fellow Home member, aid her in her new commitment? How could you encourage her‚ spur her on, and help her to reach her goal?

* A praise GN recently came out, with a lot of practical counsel about using the weapon of praise offensively, but your Home hasn't begun to implement any of this counsel. What should you do? Should you say something? To whom? And how should you say it?

* YA Chris has been voted in as a Home driver. Since he has very recently read all of the Letters from the "New Drivers Required Reading List‚" you're expecting him to be obedient to that counsel—for his and everyone else's safety. However, every time you ride with him he shoots up a pretty haphazard prayer, doesn't call on the keys, doesn't claim the help of Vigilance or rebuke Disruptor. What should you do? What should you say? How can you lovingly and tactfully help Chris to be more obedient to the counsel in the Letters about being a prayerful, careful driver?

* Mary just finished rereading the "Understanding Prophecy" GN series, and has made a commitment to hear from the Lord every day before she begins her work. She told you about this plan because you're her friend and she wants you to be a safeguard for her. What are some practical ways you would go about helping her or encouraging her? And if you saw that with time she didn't seem to be hearing from the Lord much at all‚ what would you say or do?

• Pray personally about what it is that causes you to be lax in your application of the Word. "Is it your pride that holds you back from implementing the Word? Is it your carnal mind or analytical thinking that holds you back? Is it that you feel you are too busy to do the hard work of putting the Word into action? Is it laziness or lethargy? Is it procrastination?—Maybe you want to, but you keep putting it off for another day and never get to it. Is it disorganization?—You don't plan your life or schedule to make room for taking steps of obedience." Then bring excerpts of your personal prophecies to a united devotions to share with the Home, and have united prayer together against the hindrances and obstacles.

• Memorize this new key promise: "The keys of obedience will deflect the excuses of the Enemy, and empower you to be an instant doer of the Word!"

Annihilate!

Lethargy: Lulls to sleep, weakens convictions, and causes us to succumb to the spirit of laziness and lethargy.

Candomble: The spirit and essence of compromise and complacency.

Deactivation demon of disobedience: Seeks to neutralize the Family, to deactivate us through our sins and waywardness, and rob us of the fruit that is rightfully ours if we obey the Lord and His Word.

Activate!

Styrian: A whirlwind of positive spiritual activity that brings forth spiritual progress and growth. Destroys Lethargy.

Salvador: Brings back to us conviction, fervor, and the desire to grow. Defeats Candomble.

145. (Question:) Does Candomble only fight the Family in Brazil? And what about Salvador, Candomble's counterpart? Is he a helper only for the Family in Brazil?

146. (Jesus:) Candomble originated from Africa, and she definitely fights My children everywhere. When I first asked you to pray against her, she was specifically fighting the Family in Brazil. Candomble especially fights the Family in Brazil, but she is not restricted to that area of the world. She attacks others of My children in different areas with compromise and complacency as well, and when she does, Salvador will come to the rescue. He defeats Candomble wherever and whenever she fights the Family. (End of message.)

Hot Key: Application

147. (Jesus: ) Reach out and receive the key of application. Through the power of this key, I will make it clear to you how you can apply the instruction of My Words. Through the power of this key, I will give you the faith‚ strength, and determination to do what I show you despite obstacles. Through the power of this key I will help you to have a can-be-done attitude so that you will find a way over, under, around, or through any excuses—even the seemingly acceptable ones. Through the power of this key I will give you creative, innovative, and effective solutions, showing you how to bring the power of the Word to life in your life and Home.

Prayer Boost

(Note: Following is a short written prayer on the topic of obeying the Word that you, as a Home, can pray together, to claim our Husband's power as you progress in this area.)

148. (Prayer:) We praise You and honor You for Your Word, Jesus, which is the powerful fuel that makes it possible for us to live for You and do anything good and productive. We praise You for Your Word, which separates us from the world and keeps us radical and changing and revoluting. We thank You for Your Word that is everything to us.

149. We claim the power of the keys of change and revolution, so that we can not only read Your Word but live it. We claim the power of the keys of obedience, to propel us forward‚ to give us the determination we need. We call on the keys of conviction so that we will have the strength to implement Your Words even when they're difficult to apply, or when things are extra busy, or when our lazy nature comes to the fore, or when the Enemy attacks in any way.

150. Obedience to the Word is going to make us a winning team‚ and disobedience will cause us to sink. So please help us to realize the seriousness of the spiritual warfare, to realize how crucial our obedience to the Word is—not just every so often, or once in a while, but every day. Help us to take the time we need to apply the Word‚ and to pray about its implementation. Help us to put the Word into action. Help us not to excuse ourselves or our Home, but to do all that is within our power to be doers of the Word together.

151. We rebuke and bind all of the demons of Hell who fight the Word and our application of it—Obstacon, Oplexicon‚ Arakan, Apotheon‚ Pan, Lethargy, and any others. We ask You to take a spiritual noose and hang those from the netherworld who dare to fight Your Word. Destroy their influence in our lives and in our Home, our great Warrior. Defend us and protect us‚ as we ensure that our safeguards are solid, and as we do whatever You show us to do in obedience to Your Word. We need Your help, Jesus! We can't make these changes on our own, because we're just weak humans. We need Your power!

152. We praise You for the monumental amount of Word we have been privileged to receive! We praise You for speaking to us today and for passing on all of the information and counsel we need to do our jobs for You, to become winning teams, to prepare for the future, and to win the world for You. Please help us to show ourselves worthy of the treasures of Your Word by faithfully implementing it daily in our lives and Home. Help us not to fail You, dear Jesus!

[Pithy Proverbs for this section:]

Put your time in the Word at the top of your Home's to-do list, and your Home will be "on top" of everything else.

Obedient Homes are winning Homes.

Obey today and win tomorrow.

The Word is like a vault of unmatched power, but it's only opened through your obedience.

The Word exists to be lived.

If you're not "doing" the Word, then what are you doing?

The "wood" of the Word alone won't make a fire. It takes the "match" of obedience to set it alight.

There's something extra special and powerful about believers joining to celebrate and talk about the Word, to praise the Lord and love Him together. It brings down His Spirit and blessings in ways that nothing else can.

Obedience is to the Word as salt is to pepper; they go hand in hand.

The Word is the vehicle; obedience is the engine that makes it run.

Mix together a Home of disciples‚ the Word, and obedience, and you have a recipe for success.

[End of Pithy Proverbs]