The Dangers of Division!
Conviction versus Compromise, Part 2
By Maria Maria #581 CM/FM 3362 8/01
Note by copyright on page 2:
Note: Parents and shepherds are urged to use discretion in what parts of this GN they share with those under 16, taking each child's maturity into account. Due to the nature of some of the pictures contained in these GNs, we ask that you please keep them out of reach of the younger children. Thanks!
Contents
Division rampant in the Family worldwide 5
The Bible and MO Letters on the importance of unity and the danger of division 7
To live in division is against the Charter and will be disciplined 9
Comments from COs on disunity in the Homes 10
Disunity threatens to undo the Family 11
Don't try to place the blame 12
Root out bitterness 14
Warning vision 15
Choose ye this day--unite or be left behind 18
Rebuke them by name 21
Lay it all on the altar 22
You're all guilty until you forsake your sins and get united 24
What is unity? 25
Warning of coming judgment 27
The Lord's love and mercy--one last chance 27
PS: You're not alone 28
Additional reading:
The Enemy's attack on a Service Home through division 30
Endtime pastures 31
Look at the Lord and His anointing in a person 31
Dear Family,
1. This GN will cover matters that are crucial to our sample, future progress with Activated and follow-up, and the success of the boards. I pray that you've been praying and hearing from the Lord about the issues and questions brought up in Part 1 of this series, so you'll be well prepared to move on to the next challenge.
2. There are complaints that I spend too much time correcting the Family and not enough time encouraging the missionaries or addressing subjects that are relevant to field life. You'd be surprised how much we hear that. I guess many of you think Peter and I are oblivious to your concerns and living in “la-la land.” But you know what? Every GN can't be directly and only on the subject of witnessing. I don't think you'd like that, and if you received four GNs a month all saying, “Go witnessing, and here's how and where you do it,” you'd probably be complaining about that pretty quickly, because you know your lives are much more complicated than that!
3. There's a lot that goes into a successful missionary movement, but it's all part of the final goal of winning the world. It's all related--counsel about your spiritual life and relationship with the Lord, counsel about Home life and caring for your children, counsel about upcoming changes in the government of the Family through the boards, and counsel to alert you to the wiles of the Enemy so you can stay strong. It's all related to being successful missionaries and winning the world. If you actually took the time to check it out, I think you'd find very little that isn't helpful in some way to your missionary work and your samples of communal living.
4. This series of GNs is correction. That's true. But it's not like Peter and I relish addressing these things, nor do we derive any pleasure from telling you where you're off track. We don't enjoy doing such things. But it's our job and you need it. The Family has some serious internal problems, and if not dealt with, they could threaten the success of our missionary work. That's the reason we need to tell you (again!) the truth about some things. If you get all bent out of shape at some correction and our telling you where the serious weaknesses are in the Family, then you'll just have to get over it. Deal with it. There's a war to fight and we're determined to win. If you're not concerned about where you're vulnerable to the attacks of the Enemy, then you're probably not very interested in winning the war either, so you might as well quit now.
5. You'd be surprised at how many complaints come our way. I'm not talking about legitimate, honest questions from people who want to know the truth. I'm talking about murmurs and complaints--complaints about the GNs, about how the tithe money is spent, about fundamental doctrines of the Family, about past mistakes, about just about everything! There are so many complaints that I've begun to wonder why in the world some of you are even in the Family if you're so dissatisfied with everything! It's ridiculous, if you ask me.
6. I'm starting to get pretty fed up with it, and the Lord and we are determined to do something about it. There are Family members--both FGA and SGA--who complain about almost everything, to the point that we're pretty sure you're not Family members in heart or spirit, but are just lifestylers! Your being in the Family is weakening the whole body. This is a serious problem and one that we'll continue to pray about and deal with, as the Lord leads. The S2K was effective and the Lord said that overall that program accomplished the goal. But He also said that He Himself would continue to move people on who don't belong in the Family.
7. In order to give you all a fair break, Peter and I once again feel the need to answer some questions and address weaknesses. We know that unless some of you make progress in various spiritual problems, you won't last in the Family--either you'll weaken to the point of just dropping off the tree as rotting fruit, or you'll be moved out of the Family altogether. We want to know we've done everything we can to let you know our stance on some controversial matters, as well as to answer legitimate questions.
8. There are some questions that have continued to come up that we won't answer, either because they've already been answered or because the people asking them are obviously not interested in the truth. For example, it's been said that the second James Penn letter is getting a lot of coverage in some countries, because some Family members are promoting it. There are some groups of young people especially who apparently don't believe the answers we wrote in “None of These Things Move Me” (ML #3307, GN 906). If that's the case, then you'd better get out now, because our Letters are the truth, and if you're more interested in reading his material and have more faith in what he or other detractors/apostates say, then you'd do better to follow them.
9. And if James Penn and others stumble you, then you'll just continue to be stumbled, because the Lord said there will be more “outlandish” stories from more apostates. We're hearing them already. For example, there's a rumor going around that the S2K was originally given for a WS unit because of their “drunken orgies,” and then it was just applied to the Family at large. That's a lie. But still, it stumbles people and causes people to doubt. Why would you believe what some backslider says instead of what I said in the Letter? It just baffles me, frankly. I'm sure there will be more stories, more “inside scoops” from those who supposedly “know,” so if you're that easily stumbled, then you're in for a very rough ride!
10. So you who can't believe what Peter and I have written, or who continually take up the torch of the latest accusations or stories rather than standing on the foundation of faith which the Lord's and our words have placed under you, move on! Because either the Lord's Word will get so strong and meaty that you won't be able to take it, or there will finally come the “last straw story” that causes you to throw in the towel, or the Lord Himself will bring persecution to your neck of the woods to give you the shove you need to get out. So take your pick. It would be much easier for you and everyone if you were to just take off now.
11. I'm not being reactionary or sensitive here. It's a very straightforward issue. If you still can't get over the apostates' accusations, then forget it. Leave! Save your reputation while you can! And I'm not saying that hypothetically or evangelistically speaking. Really! Do us all a favor and move on. Otherwise, we'll move you on, or the Lord Himself will. Save yourself the embarrassment of being asked to leave or being seen to not be able to take the tough times that are coming.
12. Wouldn't it look a lot better to your friends if you had the guts to leave of your own accord, rather than being “kicked out”? Start making arrangements for your new life in the System today! Go for it! We love you and will be happy for you if you finally make a clear-cut decision to leave the Family if you can't resolve the problems and doubts you have. This life isn't for everyone, and it's probably not for you if you're so gullible and spiritually weak as to desire the writings of those who hate us and are determined to destroy your faith.
13. I can hear the cries of the critics now. “Oh, Mama's overreacting!” That's not the case. I'm not overreacting. I'm just sick of all this division, backbiting, doubts and complaints. If you think I'm overreacting, you should read your Bibles about God's reaction to such murmuring and complaining! I'm baffled by why you complainers and doubters want to be in the Family. How can you stand to even attend devotions each day or read the GNs? I won't put up with this, and neither will the Lord.
14. If Dad were here he'd feel the same way, and you know it! He was never one to put up with all that criticism and talking against leadership--because he had seen from the churches how dangerous it is! It can literally destroy a work of God, and we cannot stand for it. So if it's you I'm talking about, then as Dad once said, get the victory or get out!
15. If you're already rattled by the lies of our backslidden enemies, if you don't have more faith than that, if you believe the words of a complete stranger over Dad's, mine, and Peter's who you've been following for years, decades, or even all your life‚ then, my God, get out of the Family! If you're undecided at all, then get ready to make a decision instead of just sitting on the fence. By the end of this series‚ our stance on some of these controversial issues will be clarified.
16. There is a purpose in our addressing these points. It's not that Peter and I like to sock it to you or talk about your problems or failures. But as you know from the Lord's messages about the future, He wants to bring many into our fellowship either as Active members who work with us but don't live communally, or as friends, contacts and supporters of the Family––those who will make up the general membership of our Family church in our expansion program. Many sincere sheep will be won through the Activated program and follow-up. They'll want to serve the Lord and help us win the world, and we can't allow them to be stumbled when they see things in the CM or FM Homes that are wrong, or by having CM Homes that aren't even close to the CM standard, Homes which should be FM or even out of the Family altogether. What a disappointment that would be to the sheep!
17. It's our responsibility to get ready for these many additional laborers by making sure we're really living the Word, so that when they visit our Homes, they see people who believe the Word, have a desire to win the world, and show that desire by actually sinking their time into witnessing‚ Bible classes, and follow-up. We want them to see missionaries, disciples, people who love each other and live together in unity--not single families that are hardly different at all from all the other people of the world!
18. It's one thing if you want to be a “friend” of the Family. That's fine, and you can fellowship with and support the Family and receive some of the pubs, etc. But if you expect to be a Charter member, then you have to live like one‚ and that means believing the Word, witnessing, living together with others, etc.
19. It's really sad when hungry sheep are all turned on to the Word in Activated or other follow-up pubs, and are eager to really do something for the Lord, but then they become disillusioned when they visit a Family Home. They thought they found something different, something real, but then they turn away from the sample they see, thinking, “I guess it's not all that it's cracked up to be after all!”
20. Our policy from the beginning has been to be doers of the Word, to be samples, not just sermons. Can you honestly say you're still living that? Or are you content to just witness a little, do some fundraising, and then spend the rest of your life just like everyone else in the System? Hey, if that's what you want, fine. You can have that--but not in the CM Family!
21. We need to prepare a place for the many fellow laborers the Lord will bring our way. We need to have folds for them where they can be trained and grow into missionaries who will want to serve the Lord and follow the teaching--not just become friends to hang out with us. This preparation of our folds for the soon-coming harvest is multipronged; we're concentrating on several advances, some within WS and the administration department of the Family, and some on the field.
22. It will take a while, but preparation for our greater church and more members and co-workers is the purpose of our getting into all these controversial issues now. If we had our choice, we'd rather not have to devote our time and strength to this, and you might rather not read it. I don't blame you. There's a whole world to reach, and it's a shame that we're caught up in all this internal strife and problems. But these things must be resolved, explained, and the weak areas strengthened, otherwise we most definitely will not be ready.
23. Some of the topics that will be included in this series are: the dangers of division, System jobs and compromise for gain, toning down our radical doctrines, more on the Law of Love and adultery, can the younger generation be expected to be totally dropped out‚ what is a disciple, communal living, etc. In order to again clarify the Lord's and our stance on some of the issues, controversies, and complaints that are causing some of you to weaken, we will once again answer questions in these GNs. The purpose of this is so you can make an educated decision. I pray this will be the last time we will address these issues, some of which have been covered in detail already. God help us!
Division Rampant
In the Family Worldwide!
24. Division still exists in the Family. We have regularly called the problem disunity, but let's call it what it is. It's division. The Family in many places is divided!
25. Our work for the Lord will be destroyed if we don't root out this problem and restore unity. It's so sad--really pitiful--that whole cities or even whole countries are torn apart by bitterness and hatred. Division is so rampant worldwide that we hear about it constantly–-from every single continent! You can't work together and resolve your differences in matters such as provisioning contacts, sharing witnessing and road trip areas, the disciplinary standards of your young people and children, how to minimize ungodly influences in your lives, rampant gossiping and criticism, rivalry over how to shepherd other sheep and Active members, resolving personality conflicts and clashes; working toward having respect and communication between the generations; receiving shepherding and correction at the Home level; living as communal Charter Homes, rather than those who opened the Home controlling matters themselves, and sharing the decision-making power with incoming members, rather than forcing those who don't agree or submit to leave; and differing standards and levels of obedience to the Charter and Word, which can lead to divisions between Homes, within the Homes, and between the generations.
26. You all probably think that you're justified in your feelings, that you're right. And maybe you are right in that you aren't the one who did the wrong thing! Maybe someone did the wrong thing to you and you were hurt. But you are wrong to hang on to your bitterness and lack of forgiveness. You are wrong, all of you who are involved in any kind of disunity or division. Anyone who has anything to do with division and who is harboring that negativity, bitterness, and lack of love is wrong--regardless of the details!
27. Yes, there are many sides to each situation and there are actual reasons why you're divided. Maybe you were wronged; maybe someone disobeyed the Word or the spirit of the Law of Love and you were hurt. But if you're not willing to forgive, you're wrong too. The Lord and Peter and I hold all of you who are disunited responsible, and you will all reap the judgments of the Lord for your sins if you don't change--now! “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Mat. 6:14-15).
28. We can't go on like this! It's unacceptable that after all the Lord has said, how He's begged and pleaded and explained from every possible angle how important unity is, that you who are guilty still can't humble yourselves to forgive one another and to ask forgiveness for your part of the problem, whether it be your hardness of heart, your bitterness, your pride, holding on to your hurt feelings, etc. What is wrong with you that you can't see how your disobedience to the Word is hurting you, your Home, your family, your sheep and your work!?
29. How can you be so dull in the spirit and blinded by resentment and bitterness that you have lost the fear of the Lord to the point where you can be divided with your brethren for literally years and think you won't suffer the consequences?! The truth is, you're suffering the consequences now! Can't you see that? If you wonder why your Home isn't the Heavenly sanctuary that it should be, if you wonder why the Lord isn't blessing your provisioning and fundraising, if you wonder why your young people gossip and backbite and are disrespectful, if you wonder why you don't have the regular support from Active members that you'd like to have, if you wonder why young people in your Home or area are leaving the Family in disillusionment, let me tell you, part of the reason is the division that exists in your Homes and areas!
30. The Lord is angry about it and He won't stand for it much longer. You need to get your act together or you don't deserve to be in the Family. If you can't get united, you need to go to the churches where, almost without exception, they tolerate and even specialize in backbiting, gossip, and division! If that's what you're doing, then that's where you belong. If you don't have any more fear of the Lord than to let disunity go on and on in your Homes and areas, then God help you!
31. Believe me, this is not a new message. Dad warned about the dangers of disunity from the beginning. He taught us it was the way of the dead, lifeless, totally ineffective System churches! Have you forgotten that? Then for God's sake you'd better listen up, because if you can't get the message and get right with God, then you're going to end up in the same boat, with the churches. You'll be in the “Hamburger Boat” and God's revolution will go on without you! (See ML #340, Vol.3.)
32. I'm sick and tired of hearing about so much division. What happened to “My Family‚ my Family, I know it's right, my Family”!? What happened to “And by this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another”?! Are you His disciples? Then for God's sake‚ act like it!
33. The Lord is giving you another warning, this time a very shocking and sickening picture. It's His last resort! If this doesn't do the trick and snap you out of your self-righteous, selfish, damnable divisions‚ then I don't know what will! I hate to see what the Lord will have to do to bring you together. If the losses you have suffered thus far in your personal lives, Home and work haven't been enough to wake you up, if you're too dead in the spirit to see what you're losing because of your ongoing division, then God will have to do something that you can't miss, and it won't be pretty! So wake up!
34. There are some countries that have been so disunited for years that I'm about to write you off as hopeless cases. You know who you are, and so do I! There are some fields in South America that are so steeped in division that they're almost ruined, and maybe the whole country should be reclassified--by me! It's bad enough that some of those old fields are hardly making any progress due to division, and are about dead and gone, but there are also some relatively new pioneer fields that are already crippled with disunity! I can hardly believe it!
35. Listen, brethren, you who are divided, if you don't want your name in lights in the next GN, then you'd better get with it! If you can't see that your disunity is a terrible attack of the Enemy and that you're allowing it due to pride, selfishness, self–righteousness and bitterness, then you're doomed to defeat! The Evil One will devour you, and I'm not exaggerating. When you read the warning vision the Lord gave, I hope it shocks you into repentance. If not, there's no hope for you and you might as well get out before I throw you out!
36. I don't care if you get offended by this and threaten to leave. If you can't see the truth and if you're not willing to get right with God and get rid of your horrible pride that keeps feeding the division in your Home or area, then you need to leave! Get out! Good riddance!--Not to you as a person, but to the horrible pride and bitterness that have allowed the Enemy of our souls and work to take hold in your lives!
The Bible and MO Letters
On the Importance of Unity
And the Danger of Division
37. Unity is a Scriptural principle, and Peter and I will no longer stand by and watch the work of God be torn apart by division. The extreme importance of unity has been documented in the Bible and MO Letters from the beginning! You are without excuse!
Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things‚ but every man also on the things of others (Phil.2:2-4).
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph.4:2-3).
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called‚ that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue [pursue] it (1Peter 3:8-11).
And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them‚ as Thou hast loved Me (John 17:22-23).
Be perfect‚ be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with an holy kiss (2Cor.13:11-12).
Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom (Pro.13:10).
An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression (Pro. 29:22).
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very [close] friends (Pro.17:9).
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth (Pro.26:20).
Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3).
And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand (Mat.12:25).
38. Dad consistently taught about the supreme importance of unity, and the dangers of division! Have you gotten so cozy with the Lord that you've forgotten the seriousness of disunity? Remember “Stand in the Gap!”:
Our spiritual enemy is always looking for a weakness, a way to enter our defenses, and is casting fiery darts into the city of our own fellowship trying to sow dissension, jealousy, covetousness, bickering, selfishness and internal discord so we'll get so busy fighting amongst ourselves we won't even notice our walls of spiritual strength from the Lord are crumbling from neglect or smoldering with sin, giving a place for the Enemy to enter in and destroy us and God's work. Only the cool winds and rains of God's purifying chastisements and the waters of His Word can smother the flames of disunity in His love and wash away the black filth of our lack of love and loyalty, so we can unite against the Foe, save His Own and fill the Earth with God's light! (ML #70:42)
Murmuring is virtually the voice of the Enemy and his doubts, and a critical spirit like that sows dissension, disunity and discord amongst brethren, one of the seven abominations to God! (Pro.6:16-19). God certainly won't--and can't--bless people who allow themselves to fall into such a sorry state (ML #2672:79).
You are no longer “ignorant of the Devil's devices” (2Cor.2:11), and you know that he will do anything he can to try to divide and set us at odds against each other; causing disunity and friction by his distortions, doubts, exaggerations, suppositions, half-truths and outright lies! (ML #2839:12)
One of the Enemy's stock tactics to keep you from getting God's work done [is that] he always tries to get into one of you yourselves, to cause trouble where he can do the most damage through inside turmoil, dissension, contention, and division. “Divide and conquer!” is the Devil's own slogan! (ML #168:2)
The Enemy's goal is to bring division, and through division, the destruction of God's work (ML #2716:60.1g).
For you who want division, we will gladly give it to you--division from us! You can go back to the churches that specialize in this sort of thing: feuding, overgrown, retarded children in fancy nurseries! We have no time or money to waste on you, and no room for you in our rugged army barracks! Please go home to mommy and the preacher! We're sick of you! God needs strong soldiers who want to win the lost and save the world! He wants wildly willing, working witnesses dying daily for Jesus and others! (ML #190:43)
We are not to work against each other but we are to work together against the Enemy!--Not to be fighting and bickering amongst ourselves, but to be standing together, fighting together against the Enemy. This is often the problem in so many denominations on their various fields. It was the major problem in my old denomination from which I came, and it was one of the most spiritual and missionary-minded denominations you could find at that time….
They soon found out that their major problems on the mission field were not in the battle with the Enemy and were not the problems of evangelizing the heathen, but fights amongst the Christians and differences of opinions and arguments and controversies between the missionaries themselves, rather than between the missionaries and their enemies.
The Devil endeavored to enter in and create division, controversy, schisms, arguments and differences of opinion, so that their usefulness and efficiency and efficacy and unity, and therefore their united efforts to convert the heathen, were in some areas almost virtually destroyed by their own disunity and lack of cooperation and lack of working together (ML #1209:62-64).
Can we work together? Or are we going to work apart and fall apart? Are we going to work together and stick together and unite together and win together?--Or allow the Devil to divide us and conquer us, instead of us conquering him and his forces?
Please, for God's sake and your own sake, don't allow such division to come among you! “Brethren, such things ought not so to be!” as the Apostle told his people (Jam.3:10). But you should be loving and working and playing and walking together in beautiful harmony and cooperation and unity and love, His love, under His guidance. Amen? (ML #1209:77,78)
To Live in Division Is Against
The Charter and Will Be Disciplined
39. (Mama:) To live in division, backbiting, gossip and hatred is wrong! It's against the Word, it's against the Law of Love, and it's against the Charter.
Basic Responsibilities of the Charter Home:
I. Works in harmony with other Homes in the continental area, country or city.
Homes within a city, country or continental area are expected to work in harmony with each other. It is inevitable that there will occasionally be problems between Homes, which will need to be worked out, but when there are, it is expected that they will be prayerfully, lovingly and unselfishly resolved between the Homes involved. If necessary‚ arbitration of problems may need to involve the VS or CRO (The Charter, pg.93).
40. Peter and I will be advising the COs and VSs in no uncertain terms to begin to discipline those Homes that are divided. If you're guilty‚ you might find your whole Home will be put on Probationary Notice, or possibly the most recalcitrant members will be reclassified as Fellow members. If the problem continues, your Home will be put on the second stage of Probationary Notice.
41. If your Home cannot forsake the problems that are tearing you apart, be warned that you will be disciplined. I'm sure the COs and VSs already know which Homes these are! So take heed and get your act together in love, or else suffer the consequences! Consider this your warning!
42. There is terrible division in countries where the same people have lived for years and have a lot of “history” and a lot of gripes and bitterness against each other. Such division is certainly a bad example not only to our children, friends, and potential disciples, but also would be to the new members that we will be winning through Activated. In the early days, one of our most powerful testimonies was the unity and love in our colonies and Homes, but nowadays that is becoming more and more a thing of the past.
43. Today families don't want to live together. There are more and more single-family Homes, which are not only ineffective as missionary bases, but they're not the testimony the Lord wants of communal living. Family Homes used to be a phenomenon-–happy faces and loving cooperation, people from all walks of life living together communally in love, sharing all things. That sample put us in the news! It was a miracle--communal living that actually worked! It was the proof of the Word-–”all that believed were together and had all things common.” We used our communal living as one of our strongest samples of modern-day discipleship and the existence of a God of Love.
44. But what is so interesting about a single family living alone, sending your kids to System school, doing a little witnessing, and spending all the rest of your time trying to survive? I'll tell you what's so interesting about that--nothing! It's hardly different at all from many of the other millions of Christians of the world. Do you actually think that living alone because you can't stand to live with anyone else or they can't stand to live with you because of your attitudes‚ you can't agree on how to raise your children, you can't agree on finances, you can't agree on the standard of minimizing ungodly influences, isn't hurting you? Come on! Get real! It's destroying your testimony! It's causing the Lord to lift His hand of blessing, provision, and protection. And after this warning, if you continue in your division, it will cause even greater loss to you personally and to your work!
45. Our COs are already reporting that our Active members are hurt and stumbled by the division they see. They hear shepherds speak negatively about other shepherds. They see people fighting over provisioning. They see shepherds that try to hold on to their Active members (and those tithes!) by undermining other Homes that those sheep are interested in fellowshipping with. This cannot be! It is unthinkable! How in the world can we win the greater church the Lord wants us to win with that kind of sample! You should be ashamed of yourselves!
Comments from COs
On Disunity in the Homes
46. Here are some recent comments from the COs:
47. Over the last few years the two Homes in this city have been at odds about outreach and fundraising areas, and their decisions often haven't been very spirit-led or loving, but rather like in the example of Solomon, they decided to just “cut the baby in half.” We have received reams of messages with both sides of the story and have personally been involved in praying, hearing from the Lord and negotiating‚ and even more so the VSs. But the final victory cannot come till people choose from their hearts to love and do the right thing, and not be thinking “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
48. This city has been experiencing a lot of disunity for quite some time now, and we've been immediately faced with it upon arriving here. Generally in these situations all want solutions and a victory, but seem stuck on feeling that they've done all they can but it's the other team which is in the wrong and holding up progress.
49. Hurts and past experiences overshadow the present day and there's a lot of mistrust and judgments and literally false accusations being made by Family members. In reality, some of the things that one hears or says about someone else are not even true, but no one takes the trouble or has the courage to find out and communicate. Finances play into the disunity a lot.
50. We haven't been here very long, but from the little bit that we've heard, seen and learned, we're in the cradle of disunity and fighting.
51. One major point of disagreement between families, and a reason that many families end up living on their own, is because of the differences parents have in their views, opinions, principles and beliefs in raising their kids.
52. Among young couples there are discrepancies regarding discipline; some are very lenient, others are very strict. So parents don't get close to other parents enough to trust them to discipline their kids in a Godly way, and that distrust carries over and affects the unity overall.
53. From the time I arrived [on visitation] I began hearing of various divisions between the Homes and different brethren. It definitely is rampant. This was further confirmed during the Activated meetings when a number of the attendees acknowledged the need to get over the longstanding bitterness, divisions, and mistrusts that prevailed throughout the country. This has resulted in single-family Homes or very small Homes‚ and these Homes really struggle financially or with the education and shepherding of their children and teens, as it's so hard to do everything alone.
54. There's a lot of familiarity amongst the long-term brethren (the nationals and some of the foreigners who have been in this field for so long), and it seems so many mistakes or contentions or disagreements‚ both past and present, are being harbored in their hearts. They haven't forgiven or forgotten, and have gotten resentful and bitter. They distrust each other, and thus it keeps them divided. They work together on different CTPs and other projects, but the true unity of spirit is missing. There are a number of newer brethren to this field who are excited about being on the mission field, but it's disheartening to see the division and contentions plaguing the Family here.
55. During the Activated meetings, several of the pillar brethren said they felt it was time to put the past behind, that there was a need for a healing of sorts, and they wanted to get rid of this bitterness and these divisions.
(From a CO who recently arrived at an important Service Home where it was reported that some of the people were hardly on speaking terms:)
56. The biggest problem we are facing right now is disunity. The whole area is divided, as well as this Home. This whole area is rife with disunity and gossiping. That's why I believe that very little has happened along the lines of getting Activated meetings really off the ground as of yet. Nobody wanted to work with the other person. Or the attitude was, “Who made thee ruler over us?” if someone was trying to organize things in the area.
57. We've already seen the fruits of gossiping and disunity in this Home. It seems to be something that is very deeply engrained and is going to have to be our number one focus for a few months if we wish to unite the area and the Home.
58. The Enemy has had a real stronghold through disunity. We have been growing a lot in this area and we have been going through an extensive reading list on the subject of unity, and it has been a real blessing, but because of this, I have seen the Enemy really attacking and not giving up easily. I was reminded of where Dad talks about casting out demons and how as they're being cast out sometimes they don't give up so easily and they fight and scream. The demon has to leave, but they don't usually give up without a fight. I feel that's a little bit where we're at right now, that the Enemy is not leaving without one last struggle.
59. I really believe that we are battling a very negative spirit in the Home. Sometimes it's almost tangible. Some of the very smallest, tiniest things turn into big problems, not necessarily because of the actual physical circumstances, but rather because I feel that a strong spirit of negativity and criticism has a very strong grip in this Home. If we want to make the progress that we need to here, then we're going to need to identify what spirit it is that has such a grip on the Home, or more specifically how people are yielding to it, and rebuke and bind it and really take a stand. (End of comments from COs.)
Disunity Threatens to
Undo the Family
60. (Mama:) These kinds of behavior and problems are the result of a lack of fear of the Lord! You should know that such disobedience will displease the Lord and cause Him to lift His blessing! Having the Lord's blessing is the main thing that makes the difference between a successful work and a failure! You should know that, and yet still, you blatantly disobey--and not just for a while; some of you have been disobedient for years! It has got to stop! Now!
61. Disunity means that you are disuniting the Family. Every bit of disunity that you're involved in means you're participating in a dividing and tearing down of the Family. The Family should be something unique; it should be a body of believers, of missionaries, spread throughout the Earth following the Lord's counsel and living together in love. “For by this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one toward another” (John 13:35). Disunity, arguments, bitterness, oughts, and divisions are all direct attacks on love and against the Endtime fulfillment of the Lord's Body on Earth, His coordinated Body working together to do the final reaping.
62. Disunity has beguiled many of you! The Family still exists, the Family is still moving forward, but instead of being a lean reaping machine, it has become, in many respects, plagued with problems and is due for an overhaul in order to fix this problem of disunity which drags you down and keeps you from doing the job efficiently and quickly.
63. Here is a confirmation from the Lord on what I'm saying:
64. (Jesus speaking:) Unity and being able to work together is one of the foundation stones of the Family. It's what I built the Family on, but it's being discarded in many cases, and is thus causing a crumbling of the wall throughout the lands. Now there are gaping holes in the wall throughout many lands, and the entire structure is in danger of collapsing if these holes are not repaired soon so that My sheep will truly have places of shelter.
65. Overcoming disunity is one of the first steps in building a work, in building a relationship, in building almost anything. But many of you have tossed this step to the winds, not realizing that it is part of your very foundation, that which keeps the Family together and moving forward as a united group. You're shooting yourselves in the foot by so doing, and you're not only wrecking your little part of the world, but you're also helping to make bigger and bigger tears in the overall fabric of the Family. It's a serious problem and a serious breach. It's the antithesis--the exact opposite--of love, unity, cooperation, and all that the Family stands for.
66. Disunity threatens to undo the Family. It threatens to take apart the Family, for that is what disunity is, the taking apart of a thing, as opposed to the uniting of parts for a purpose. Those participating in disunity are participating to one degree or another with the taking apart of the Family as you know it, and it's a grave responsibility to partake in such things. I ask all to put out the fires of disunity and to get back on the wall, to repair the breach, before more people run out the cracks in order to get away from the heat. (End of message from Jesus.)
Don't Try to Place the Blame
--Just Forgive and
Ask for Forgiveness!
67. (Mama:) Before we go further‚ I want to explain something to you that, if you will receive it, will be a key in your being able to change. As you read this counsel about getting united, you will feel tempted to justify yourself. You'll have all kinds of excuses why it's the other guy's fault, not yours! It will kill your pride to let go of the things you've been mad about, especially if you feel right and you want the other guy to pay, or humble himself, or take the first step to apologize. If you hold on to that attitude, you're wrong, and you'll miss the whole point.
68. You who have been divided for so long might have already made some attempts to make things right. Maybe you've had discussions, prayer meetings, been counseled by your overseers, etc. But if you've been trying to sort it all out and figure out who's right and who's wrong, you'll never get free. Forget all that. Take it from me, you're all wrong. You're all to blame, because you've allowed the division to flourish. You can't try to first sort out the blame and then forgive. That's the wrong order, the wrong way to go about it. The Lord says:
69. (Jesus speaking:) People normally look at getting unified from the wrong direction. They think, “Let's take care of all these problems, and then we can be in unity.” But the truth is, if you first get in unity, then the other problems will eventually be solved. By trying to solve all the problems first, victory eludes you, because in problem–solving there is usually an emphasis on placing the blame, on who is wrong, how wrong, etc., which causes people to want to hold on to their positions because they want to be proven to be right. That never works, because there is always a breakdown in communication, and the efforts to sort things out are abandoned.
70. But if you first make steps to restore unity, that entails forgiveness--both asking for forgiveness and forgiving. When those steps are taken, then the details of sorting out such unity disruptors as child discipline differences, finances, Law of Love problems, conflicting prophecies, etc., can be found.
71. So the first step to improve the condition of your Homes and areas and find that Heavenly Home and Family you're seeking and that I've promised is in pursuing unity by forgiving. Don't try to sort out all the details and the blame. You need to let My soft blanket of cozy love warm you and melt away the icicles of pride, independence, stubbornness, bitterness and self-righteousness. (End of message from Jesus.)
72. (Mama:) Here is an interesting confirmation of this very concept from a CO who had not read the above prophecy. He said:
73. One of the biggest obstacles to overcoming disunity is the unwillingness of many to forgive and forget. Both sides are often convinced that it's not their fault, that they've done everything possible to overcome the disunity‚ and that it's the fault of the other. It stumbles the friends and Active members who see it, hear about it, and feel torn in their loyalties.
74. At times shepherds have aired their dirty laundry and unwisely spoken badly of the other Homes or shepherds with their Active members. Sometimes it's because there's a difference in approach and style in the shepherding of the sheep. Sometimes there is jealousy and protectiveness of “your” sheep, and Homes are fearful that their friends will be attracted to another Home and shift their support to that Home. Sometimes it's due to personality clashes, as many of our folks are strong-willed people and they just want things to be done their way. The Active members often sense the disunity, but they want to experience the sensation of belonging to the larger Family and fellowshipping with others.
75. Sometimes there is disunity over contacts, with folks assuming the worst--that the other person did something on purpose, or they deliberately lied and covered up‚ and other such accusations. Usually, very little benefit of the doubt is given.
76. Meetings to discuss the problem often only make it worse, as each side expects the other to confess that they were wrong, and no one budges in his or her position. Once the disunity grows deeper, people are stereotyped, and there is often no real forgiveness, though on the outside they appear to be polite socially. As shepherds, it's very difficult to make people reconcile and truly forgive each other and renew their love and faith.
77. I hope this doesn't sound too negative or fatalistic, but sometimes I feel that problems with disunity won't be overcome until individuals make the commitment to change and truly do the humble thing. In cases where people have serious problems with self–righteousness, pride, bitterness, criticalness or independence, it's hard for them to recognize that they are a large part of the problem. And if they don't make progress, but just blame others‚ the problem will never be fully solved.
78. I know the Lord is working in all of our lives and we are changing slowly, but sometimes there are certain personality traits--such as being too strong and forceful in your manner and opinions, being intolerant, being very self–righteous–-which, if not overcome, are a constant source of disunity and dissension.
79. In one country the disunity had reached such proportions that after many warnings and exhortations, we simply moved the main offenders to FM. A year later, many of these people are going through their reclassification process, and Lord willing they have learned valuable lessons along the way. Maybe it would help sometimes if we put Homes on PN for disunity. This might shift the emphasis from “who is wrong” to the fact that “disunity is wrong.” (End of comments from CO.)
80. (Mama:) Amen! I heartily agree! Taking this counsel into consideration, you have to let go of your rightness, your sense of justice, your wanting to prove that you're right and the other guy is wrong. As long as you hold on to your desire to place blame, your efforts will be thwarted. If you can let go of all the details, all the scenarios, all the gossip, anger and bitterness, and forgive, then you'll succeed.
81. Forgive and ask for forgiveness. That's pretty simple. Don't complicate it with all your rights and wrongs and blame-placing. Just forgive those who have wronged you, and ask for forgiveness of those whom you have wronged, or even those who think you've wronged them. Even if you don't understand it fully, forgiveness is the key! (See Mat.5:23-24.)
82. I'm explaining this now because if you can't get past this, you'll be distracted through the rest of the Letter. You'll keep thinking, “But that's not right … she doesn't understand … I can't do that, because so-and-so needs to apologize to me first.…” and you'll fuss and fume the whole time and end up worse off than you are now.
83. Those of you who have strong personality traits like those mentioned above, such as being too strong or too forceful in your manner or opinions, need to get serious about improving in those areas. Call on others for help. Ask for prayer. Ask others to safeguard you. The keys of the Kingdom have creative power; they can create a clean heart in you, renew your spirit, and help you overcome any and all NWOs that stand in the way of unity. Claim the power of the keys and become a new man or woman. Through the keys, you can overcome.
Root Out Bitterness!
84. Before going further, I also want to highlight the subject of bitterness. There has been a lot published on this already, and there will be more GNs on this in the future, Lord willing. But unfortunately, there is still a lot of bitterness that's defiling many of you!
85. Bitterness is associated with division, because when you're unwilling to forgive, you open yourself up to become bitter. Lack of forgiveness and bitterness lead to division. If you've been having a hard time forgiving or have been feeling resentful or bitter, please reread the GNs that are at your disposal. Here is an important explanation from our Husband on how bitterness relates to division.
86. (Jesus speaking:) Considering how much very good material and specific messages from Me have been published, it's a shame that we still have such a serious problem with resentment and bitterness. But it is very serious and it's threatening the future of the Family because I cannot give My full blessing to the Homes and areas that are not united. Here is a Scriptural principle that has been a foundation of the Family since the beginning: Unity brings on the spirit and blessings of God. The opposite is also true: Disunity repels the spirit and blessings of God.
87. There is a great need to root out the disunity of the Family that is causing not only less effective communal living and teamworking in the Homes, but also ruining the sample that the Family should be to outsiders and even to their own children and young people. It's really pitiful, and it makes Me very sad. It angers Me. I am slow to anger, but I'm very disappointed in the Family's continued disunity, and their lack of fear of Me, not realizing that they're hurting themselves, their work, their children and the lost sheep by continuing on in pride.
88. It's impossible to be united when there is resentment or bitterness. Unity is born of love, and resentment and especially bitterness are born of pride, jealousy, and hatred. And those who hate their brothers or sisters cannot truly love Me, for their sins separate them not only from their brethren but from Me. So for unity to thrive, it is necessary to root out bitterness. (End of message from Jesus.)
89. (Mama:) The message is clear: If you're bitter, get rid of it! There's plenty of Word on the subject, so read it and obey it! If you're serious about getting united, you'll do that!
Some Letters on bitterness include:
?”Bitterness,” ML #2672, Lifelines 19.
?”Beware of Bitterness,” ML #2840, Lifelines 20.
?”Overcoming the Past,” ML #2877, Lifelines 21.
?”The Dangers of Bitterness,” ML #3167, Lifelines 24.
?”How to Recognize and Get Rid of Bitterness,” ML #3170, Lifelines 24.
Text box:
90. (Mama:) We asked the Lord about the words “hate” and “hatred” in this message and He replied:
91. (Jesus speaking:) You hesitate to associate “hatred” with the relations within the Family because it is a strong word! Yet I tell you that some of the children of David do indeed feel this strong and intense dislike and hostility toward each other. Because they have not gotten the victory despite past treatments of My Word, the disease of their lack of forgiveness, of their resentment or bitterness, has gotten worse and has even become hatred.
92. It is similar to the way in which germs develop an immunity to a certain drug if the patient stops before the treatment is complete. The patient may feel a little better, but the disease is still there. It has not been cured. In fact, it has even gotten stronger because it has resisted past treatments. It can even become lethal and spread its deadly poison to others, unless the patient is willing to undergo a radical and intense course of treatment to root it out completely, to eradicate it.
93. Such is the state of some of My children who have harbored ill feelings toward others despite all My admonitions to them, My exhortations to love and unity--the treatments that I have provided. If they do not get the victory after the radical and intense treatment of this Letter, then the disease of hatred may overcome them instead of them overcoming it.
94. And not only is there the danger of it overcoming them, but it may spread to others as well. As your David has taught you, diseases of the spirit are communicable, and can be just as deadly as those of the flesh. (End of message from Jesus.)
End of text box
Warning Vision
95. (Mama:) Okay, now let's move on to the warning vision I mentioned earlier in this letter. Prepare yourselves; it's graphic and shocking. With this warning, you are accountable. So if you don't change, you can expect to have even more trouble than you're having now! The Lord has given a message that is so vivid you can't possibly misunderstand it unless you're completely asleep!
96. (Channel explains vision:) I see terrible destruction. Everything is dark--very dark and dreary. It's a battlefield, I see; and it's after the battle. There's a terrible eerie feeling. The night has fallen, and all I can see is destruction. It's awful--devastating destruction everywhere. It looks foggy, but it's smoke I see rising. It seems to be smoke from cannons or gunfire or explosions. There are small fires burning‚ scattered all around, and there are bodies as far as I can see, maimed and mutilated bodies lying all over the place.
97. Jesus help me, give me faith. Forgive me, I don't want to look at this, but if You're showing me this for a reason, help me and give me faith. I'm Your servant, Your channel; pour through me as You will. Please help me to explain what I'm seeing.
98. For as far as I can see, all I can see is ruin. I see dead bodies lying everywhere and there's a horrible foreboding feeling. Oh, Jesus‚ help me. Please, please help me.
99. Now I see something different; the scene has changed, as if it's a flashback. I see horrible creatures. They're so terribly ugly--they're frightening! There are snakes slithering all over the place and all sorts of crawling creatures. I don't know what they are. They're not exactly snakes; there are a variety of different ones, but they're crawling and slithering all over the place, and all of them are so terribly repulsive. They're intertwined and snarling--it's a horrible noise they're making! They're screeching and growling at each other. It sounds like they're bickering and hissing at each other. It's a shrill, high-pitched, terrifying sound.
100. Some of these creatures have fangs, which show when they make this horrible sound; others have long tongues that dart in and out as they hiss at each other. Something is telling me there's poison both in their fangs and their tongues. It's highly poisonous, deadly venom. Some of these creatures have frightening eyes.
101. Please help me, Jesus! Do I have to look? Please forgive me, Jesus. Please help me. I'm so sorry, forgive me, dear Love, I don't like to look at this, but with Your help I will if this is what You want to show me. Please help me to explain what I'm seeing now.
102. Their eyes are red. They're filled with blood‚ and it drips down their face whenever they hiss.
103. All of a sudden these hideous creatures are morphing right before my eyes. They're transforming into these little elf–like beings. They look like little black elves, or like dark fairies. They're not good fairies; they're black and vicious. The words “black elves” keep coming to me, so I'll call them elves. They're like little black elves‚ little black demons.
104. They've just morphed right before my eyes from these slimy, gruesome-looking, evil‚ creepy, crawling creatures into these little black elves. I still feel that horrible foreboding I felt when I was seeing the destruction in the first scene. These black elves are frightening; they look very evil, and they're very dark.
105. They're small in size, but the impression I get is that they're powerful. They can do a lot of harm‚ terrible damage, because they're still the same slimy, snake-like, crawling creatures on the inside, and they're still filled with this highly poisonous venom. In other words, these little black demon elves are the slithering creatures; they're the same on the inside‚ but they took on this other form. They've morphed into these little black elves. They've only changed their appearance and taken on this different form, apparently so they can get around more easily because they're so little. I see they are very agile and quick; they dart all over the place. They're very dangerous, possessing this deadly poison.
106. One of them just looked up at me and sneered at me. The evil black elf looked right at me and growled and showed me his sharp teeth! Back off, you damn punk! I rebuke you, in Jesus' name! He showed me his teeth, the same sharp fangs the slimy creatures had.
107. Apparently when they were in their slimy crawling form, they seemed to be contained in some vast area--an eerie, dark, dismal place. I have the impression they're not allowed to leave there, not as long as they're in that form. But now that they've morphed into these little black elves, they seem to be able to move around and go all over the place.
108. There's a huge explosion and I see these black elves hurled all over the place. They're being shot out, like the explosion propelled them out into the atmosphere and they're everywhere.
109. Now I see; it wasn't just any explosion I saw. This was no accident. It's like someone put these evil black elves in a giant cannon or some type of shooting device and shot them right out, aimed them dead center at certain targets and fired them right out to do their dirty work, to do damage. They were aimed at something and shot out with a specific mission to harm and destroy their target. Oh Jesus, help!
110. Now I see several Family Homes, and these black elves are all over the place. They're hanging all around, sitting everywhere--on the furniture, on the floors, on the counter tops. They're hanging on the ceiling, and some of them are riding on people's shoulders--on Family members' shoulders! It's terrible!
111. Jesus, please help me. I can hardly look at this; I can't bear the thought of them sinking those fangs into our Family. Please help me.
112. I don't see them on everyone's shoulders, it seems they can only ride on the shoulders of those who are vulnerable. Some Family members have a shield around them, and the black elves cannot penetrate their shield. Others have no shield, nothing guarding them, so these black elf demons can latch on to them. They can ride on their shoulders, or on top of their feet, or slip right into their pants' pockets; any way they can latch on, they do.
113. Thank You Jesus! Praise You Jesus! I'm sorry, dear Love, I don't think I can look any longer. Help me, Jesus. I think I'm going to be sick, but if You know I need to see more, please, please, help me to yield to You. I feel cold and icy. It's a frightening sight. It seems inevitable what will be next--that these demons are going to sink their teeth into their prey--and these are our Family! Jesus, please help me.
114. I see Family Homes, so many of our dear Family brethren, and these vile black elves are latching on to Family members all over the place.
115. Oh, Jesus, not that! It's awful what I see now. I see the black elves morphing back and forth! They've latched on to whomever they can in our Family Homes, whoever didn't have their protective shield raised. They've latched on and now they're morphing back and forth. Yuck, it's sickening. One minute they're these slimy, hideous crawling creatures and they're slithering all over our Family members, and then they morph again into their evil black elf form--and back and forth they go, riding on our Family members, on their shoulders, on their feet, in their pockets and so on.
116. I get the impression they're trying to demonstrate their power; they seem to be flaunting it in my face. Now they're morphing into their black elf form and they're all looking up at me with evil grins. They're showing their teeth and they're grinning at me and laughing, only it's more like a spiteful cackling; it's very wicked. They're very haughty. They seem to think they've triumphed and they seem to be mocking me with their evil grins and loud shrills, all very‚ very evil.
117. I rebuke you, damn devils! Oh, Jesus, no! No‚ not that! It's so, so horrid what they just did, it's nauseating! (Channel prays in tongues.) Jesus, help me to explain.
118. All of these evil black elves just morphed back into slimy, snake-like creatures, and all of a sudden, all at once, in the blink of an eye, they slipped right into the body of each person they were latched on to. Just like that, bloop, and right into their body they went. (Weeping, channel prays in tongues again.) Praise You Jesus! Thank You, mighty Deliverer! Sweet Love, there's more? Please give me strength to look. Please forgive me. I want to yield to You. Please help me.
119. Now I see these horrific creatures inside the bodies of our Family‚ of those who didn't have their shields up. I see them inside their bodies; they've become part of them. Right now everyone looks all right on the outside. From outward appearances you wouldn't know anything is wrong at the moment, but inside they're being eaten up. The evil creepy crawlers are feeding on their insides; they're steadily eating away on the inside of each Family member they were able to latch on to. They're gnawing away at their internal organs, eating them alive. Some are going quicker than others, but they're all being eaten up. They're being eaten alive and they don't even know it.
120. Jesus, give me strength. I feel faint, Jesus. Surely this can't be the Family. Surely this can't happen! Oh, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!
121. Now, just like I saw in the beginning, I see bodies all piled on top of each other. All that's left are maimed and mutilated bodies. It looks like the pictures you see of the Holocaust, of all those dead naked bodies thrown in a huge pile. The slimy creatures went in for the kill and it looks like they succeeded with those they were able to latch on to, with those who wouldn't keep their shields up-–they ate them right up, all their internal organs, until they ate their hearts out and they couldn't function anymore. (End of vision.)
Choose Ye This Day!–-
Unite or Be Left Behind!
122. (Jesus speaking:) United you stand, divided you fall. United you walk on to victory, divided the battle is lost. If My Family will not unite, this will be the end result, what you saw in the vision--a battlefield, the battle lost, death and destruction. This will be the end result of those who do not unite. United you stand, divided you fall.
123. I have opened your eyes to the reality of My spirit world. I have pulled back the veil and shown you a portion of what transpires in the real world. For the emissaries of Satan target the children of David. The black demon elves of disunity have stalked their prey. They are more dangerous than My children comprehend‚ with their venom of doubt, division, dissension, bitterness, jealousy, selfishness, hatred, bickering, backbiting, negativity, covetousness--all that fosters disunity.
124. They have latched on to many of the children of David. They have debilitated some already, and now‚ unless they are rooted out, they will go in for the kill. Their mission is to damage, knock out, destroy and kill. They seek any port of entry through which they can latch on, any chink in the armor of those who let down their guard, who put down their shields, who lay aside their weapons, who do not raise the protective force field around themselves that I make available through obedience and yieldedness to My call to unite.
125. How long will you‚ My children, leave yourselves open? How long will you fight amongst yourselves, instead of turning your energy to fight the real Enemy who is out to destroy you? How long will you leave yourselves open to the deadly poison of disunity until there is no remedy? How many will fall prey to the venom of the dark demons?
126. No longer, My children, no longer will I tolerate the smoke and stench of the smoldering fires many of you leave burning within your camps. Today I intervene. Today you must take the stand. Today you must put out the fires, or be put out of the camp. Today all must raise their shields and close the door to the evil ones who seek to target and destroy you.
127. I have instructed, I have pleaded; I have plainly spoken to My Family on the subject of unity. I have poured out volumes on its benefits, on the blessings it will bring, on the strength it will generate, on its dire importance if you are to survive the days ahead.
128. Now I must tell you, it's the end of the road. Now I tell you clearly and plainly; today you must choose. The Enemy has hurled his fiery darts at every Family member--his dark, destructive demons which would seek to encourage disunity, to feed on disunity, and eventually to feed on them. Those who are caught without the protective shield of obedience and unity are open prey.
129. Those of you who wish to go on for Me in this Family must unite at all costs or be left behind, for I will not, I cannot stand back any longer and watch these evil ones of the netherworld pick off My chosen one by one, eating away like a cancer within, until there is no remedy.
130. My Spirit and anointing will not always strive with those who continue to disobey, who continue on in open and blatant defiance of Me and My Word, who will not pick up their shields and fight and unite against the Enemy, who will not rebuke the dark forces, repent, and unite to fight the foe. United you stand, divided you will fall. Those who leave themselves open to the venomous poison of disunity will fall, for as in unity there is strength, in disunity there is destruction!
131. I issue a call to you, My children and army of David, as My servant Gideon did to his army of old. He told those who were faint of heart, fearful and unbelieving to go home, to choose. Today you must also choose: You can either unite and march on, or go back and be counted among those who care not to give all.
132. The time is come. It is now! Today, this day, I call on every Family member to take a stand. Stand up and be counted part of My strong Bride, My united Bride, or go, do what you need to do.
133. Only in the strength of unity will you, My Family, be able to fulfill your destiny. There's no other way! Today you must choose. Take the stand to unite, or be left on the scrapheap of those who cared not to take up arms against this inside enemy.
134. Satan has you targeted. He has hurled his black demons against you; they seek to enter those who leave themselves open. Their mission is to destroy.
135. There is no longer room to sit on the fence; there is no longer room to hang in the balance. Each must choose--you either move forward or backward. There is no standing still. Choose this day, My Family.
136. My fervent prayer today is the same as when I left Earth--that you will unite as one. You must choose to be one as My Father and I are one, or choose your own desires and move on. You must choose to unite, or to follow your own willful hearts. It's as simple as that. For the only way you will be able to fulfill your destiny, the only way you will be able to access the keys, the only way you will have the power to rise above all impossibilities is in the strength of unity. The only way you will win this war in the era of action is by uniting.
137. What I require in these Last Days of those who will follow Me closely, of those who will use the keys to the Kingdom, of those who will have the power to rise above, is that you join as one. There is no other way. Only in the strength of unity will all these things I have spoken of your glorious future come to pass. Only those who unite will be able to fulfill what I have spoken. It is written in My Word. Time and time again I spoke of this to you, My Family; today you must obey or fall away.
138. How oft, dear Family, have I made this plea? I have pled, I have wept, I have spelled it out to you. I have repeated time and time and time again: Only those who are agreed, who dwell together in unity of mind, heart, body and spirit, will be able to walk on to fulfill your destiny in these Last Days. United you stand, divided you fall.
139. Today I close the door. Therefore everyone must choose this day on which side you will stand. Those who continue on in the army of David must strive for unity at all costs. You must endeavor to live My Law of Love, to live together in unity, to unite in vision and goals, in oneness of heart, mind‚ and spirit. You must join together as one wife, one body, one bride, ready and willing and yielded to the desires of your Bridegroom.
140. I don't ask for perfection. You will make mistakes, misunderstandings will come, likes and dislikes will be evident. But what I do require is that you not give in to these vices of the Enemy, but rather seek to rise above them. There will be times when you will not always see eye to eye with one another‚ but what I require is that you walk arm in arm. What I require is that you take the stand, that you fight for unity at all costs; that you forsake the past and walk in newness of life and spirit; that you put away childish bickering; that you don't give in to bitter strivings and contentions; that you put out the fires of dissension, contention and familiarity among you.
141. Temptations will come. You will stumble, you may fall from time to time, but what I require is that when you are tested, you hold on to Me; you get up and walk on together in obedience to My Word. What I require is that you bind yourselves together in My Spirit, in My love, in My power. What I require today is that you choose--that you take the stand to unite, or move on. What I require is that you make the decision to yield your all to Me--that you allow Me to melt your hearts together, and that you bring forth the fruits of unity. I require that you demonstrate your faith in Me through endeavoring to keep the unity among you by taking action on such things as:
-- working together to resolve your differences through love, humility, communication and prayer;
-- taking the humble seat and apologizing, even if you feel it's the other person who is in the wrong;
–– asking Me what your part is in the problem and then being willing to rectify it;
-- being willing to confess your sins and wrong attitudes and get united prayer;
-- praying a “whatever it takes” prayer and allowing Me to work in your life;
-- working to overcome your strong personality traits that stand in the way of unity;
-- asking your brethren to safeguard you;
-- seeking correction when needed;
-- being flexible and learning to give and take;
-- giving others the benefit of the doubt;
-- persevering in loving communication even when you feel misunderstood or rejected;
-- going to others in love and humility to communicate and seeking Me together for solutions;
-- forsaking all criticism and gossip;
-- fighting to overcome familiarity;
-- forgiving and forgetting--forsaking the past;
-- yielding to Me in all things;
–- calling on the power of the keys to help you rise above all that would stand in the way of your unity.
142. Each Family member must choose today: Walk on with Me in unity, or suffer the consequences. Today I blow out the candle; I close the book. Choose this day which side of the fence you will stand on.
143. Be warned‚ My children. See the future, and therefore be well armed to fight. If you heed not this last call, you must suffer the consequences. For as many as I love, I must chasten when the need arises.
144. My Family‚ never before was there a need as there is now to lower My rod that I might save you, and direct those who care to follow Me to the End. This is My love and My mercy that you might fulfill your destiny.
145. Those of you who continue on in disobedience and heed not My call to unity, not only endanger yourselves and your own lives, but you endanger My Family, My work, and My Kingdom. This I can no longer tolerate. Therefore My chastening rod must fall upon those who heed not this call, in hopes that you will see the error of your ways and repent.
146. Those who care not to obey this warning and unite NOW‚ those who do not repent and bring forth fruit for their repentance, force My hand. In My love and mercy, I will send My judgments upon you in the form of persecution. This will not be persecution for righteousness' sake, but persecution because of your waywardness and disobedience to Me.
147. This is love, My brides, for I am not an infidel; I care for My Own. I know the way of disunity will only lead you to destruction. I will not stand back and see My Family and work destroyed. Therefore, choose this day: Take the stand to unite at all costs, or suffer the consequences. This I do in My mercy, to save you from the greater threat, from being utterly destroyed from within. Therefore you must choose: Take the stand for unity, or receive the rod of My chastisement upon you and suffer the consequences. (End of message from Jesus.)
Rebuke Them by Name!
148. (Channel prays:) Thank You, wonderful Love, for speaking. Thank You for Your love and mercy for the Family. Jesus, can You please tell me the names of these devils? I described them as “black elves” because that's what came to me as I was seeing this vision. Dear Love, we know the Family will want to rid themselves of this disunity, so can You please tell us, do these evil imps have a name or names? We want to rebuke them by name and get rid of them once and for all.
149. (Jesus speaking:) These black elves I have shown you are black demons straight from Hell! These venomous creatures of Satan are straight from the dungeons of the netherworld. You have seen them in their slimy and slithering state, and likewise you have seen them morph into black elves that they might be hurled around the world to target My children. Satan has shot them out, hoping they will find entrance and be able to destroy My children and My work from within.
150. These are black elves because their hearts are black with sin and evil, because they proceed from the Dark Kingdom, from he who is the blackest of all, and because their deeds are black and dirty and evil. They hate the light, and they would pull each of My children of light into the blackness and darkness themselves if they could.
151. These are called “Selvegion” [pronounced SELL-veh-juhn], for they are dark, they are vile, they lure their prey to put self first, and they are many. These are they who oppose unity, for they know the tremendous and awesome power that is wrought through unity in My Spirit.
152. Take a close look, My love, and see the meaning of this thing; see what is in a name. What word have I laid on your heart to describe these dark demons? Black elves. Take this word “elves” and add an “S” to the beginning and you have “selves.” These are they who promote “self,” who blow out of proportion interest in one's self. These are they who oppose unity and encourage selfish living. They oppose oneness and harmony, and instead foster self-service, self-interest, discord, dissension, strife, and all that divides.
153. They are called Selvegion, and now I ask you to take a look at the second half of their name. Yes, it resembles “Legion,” for they are many. “Legion” is contained therein, for these are akin to Legion, to those who terrorized many in the days I walked on Earth. The Selvegion are your bitter enemy.
154. Call them by name; command them to leave in My Name! These have no power over the children of David, over those who call on Me for deliverance, who call for the laying on of hands, for the anointing of oil, and who command these dark ones to be gone. They have no power over those who call on Me for forgiveness and for the power to forgive, who take the stand from this day forward to yield and obey My call to unite.
155. My children must rebuke them by name. Call them by name, call them out, call them down. You must resist and rebuke and bind the power of Selvegion in My Name, and they will flee. (End of message from Jesus.)
156. (Mama:) What the Lord is telling us is undeniable. Division is a serious threat, and we need to overcome it! We have the power to rise above, and nothing is impossible to us. We have the keys to the Kingdom, which allow us to tap into all the power of Heaven. Use these gifts, fight with them, and overcome! Rebuke these evil little monsters from the netherworld and don't ever again give them entrance to your life, heart‚ mind or Home! If you have any of these little demons tucked away in your pants pockets or sitting on your shoulder, don't let another minute pass. Cry out to the Lord for deliverance and then do what you need to do to get right with God! Send these evil Selvegion to Hell where they belong! They have no part in you or our Heavenly Homes!
Lay It All on the Altar
157. In the upcoming day of worldwide prayer and fasting you'll have the opportunity to have prayer, confess, forgive, and ask for forgiveness! But don't wait for then; start now!
158. What is a truer love than to forgive the one who you feel has done you great harm? What is a truer manifestation of the Lord's Spirit than to love your enemies, to do good to them that do you harm, to turn the other cheek? What is a greater demonstration of the Lord's forgiveness of sins than to show and to live your forgiveness of whatever it is that you hold against that person? This is love. This is mercy. This is humility. This is Jesus. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for another--even your brother or sister who has harmed you.
159. By reaching up for the grace to forgive him or her, you're reaching up to the Lord, and He'll make you a better person because of it. For what greater gift could the Lord give you than to make you into a person who has forgiven another, who has passed over that hump and stumbling block, and whose heart has been enlarged to take being wronged and yet to forgive?
160. Forgiveness is humility. Grudges, bitterness and disunity are pride. At the root of all disunity is pride.
161. Who is willing to lay himself down and be sacrificed? Who is willing to sacrifice his pride for the sake of the Family? Who is going to walk on with the Lord to the light of a brighter day?
162. There are such people. I believe there are those of you even now who are laying your lives‚ desires, and pride on the altar of sacrifice, and asking the Lord to make you new creatures. But it takes the laying down of your pride and your reasons for remaining bitter, and recognizing that bitterness, pride, resentment and grudges are not good. The Lord says:
163. (Jesus speaking:) I'm asking you to give Me every thought of bitterness that you have, to lay it on the altar. I'm asking you to give Me every feeling of hurt that you harbor, to put it on the altar. I'm asking you to recognize that maintaining unity is more important than maintaining your pride‚ sense of rightness, hurt feelings, resentment, bitterness, and even your own individuality or independent thoughts.
164. I ask you to be the man or woman who has the maturity and grace to lay down whatever it is that causes you to be disunited, and have the humility to give it to Me, and to unite for the sake of the Family, for the sake of My cause upon Earth‚ and to once again join hand in hand with those of your brethren who have forsaken all in order to follow Me.
165. It will be done! There are those who will follow! For this is the crossing over into the Promised Land of My Spirit where all the fruits of the Spirit dwell–-love, patience, kindness, peace, forbearance. They are all there, waiting for you. But you can't have them, you can't enter in fully until you lay aside bitterness, disunity, anger and dislike--those things which are not allowed in this Land.
166. If you have these things in your backpack‚ I ask you to leave them at the altar of sacrifice, and enter in. Realize that overcoming disunity is only the first step in fortifying the wall and again becoming the united Family that I want you to be, that I need you to be. Once you fight this battle and win the victory over disunity (and it can be won), then you will have proved your fitness to remain part of the army, and we will go on to bigger battles! But this time they will be against the Enemy without instead of the Enemy within.
167. This is a call to arms, to pick up your spiritual weapons and to realize that the Enemy is who you need to fight rather than your brother, your sister, your neighbor, your friend, your lover, your comrade in arms. Until you are able to turn your “gun” away from your neighbor, you will not be able to point it fully at the Enemy, the real Enemy, and you will be hindered, your aim will be off, and you will misfire and waste ammunition and energy on a false target, one that has beguiled you, a deception put there by the Enemy himself as a ruse to keep you busy and to keep you from fighting him.
168. The Enemy of your souls has beguiled you and tricked you, and it's a hard and heavy place for the heart to be, in the state of disunity, bitterness‚ resentment and grudges. I am able to help you overcome, but it has to be your will and your faith to place all of these things in My hands. I am all-powerful. All power in Heaven and Earth is in My hands. I have the power to help you to overcome, if you will but try and with your whole heart tap into it. It is there. It is possible to overcome.
169. While you might have lacked faith and therefore failed in the past, you can have faith for renewed initiatives and therefore successes, because you now have the keys of the Kingdom and the power to rise above. You need not be bound by the failures of the past; you can have victory! But it takes the forsaking of your self, your thoughts, what you think is right, your hurts, your feelings‚ your viewpoints. It takes realizing that every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but that I weigh the spirits.
170. You have to be willing to literally forsake your own viewpoint, put it in My hands, and ask Me to help you overcome. Claim the power of the keys and I will help you, for there are no impossibilities for you.
171. This is why I told many of My followers of old that I would enlarge their hearts; I would give them a heart of flesh and not of stone; I would bring them into a large room. What did this mean? It meant that I was going to change them; I was going to change their very hearts! It meant that I was going to show them that there was life after the forsaking of something so integral to you as your very feelings, your very heart. I was going to expand their heart so that they would see that there was more to it than just those bitter, hateful feelings. I was going to change those feelings by leading them into another place in their heart, a large room where there was more tolerance and room for accepting others the way they were. But this all took a forsaking of self. Self had to be forsaken first.
172. If you're able to forsake yourself and to follow My admonitions in the Scriptures about love, unity, living together, putting Me first, forsaking all for the sake of greater unity, even the forsaking of your thoughts, your way of life, your lifestyle, your feelings, your desires, then I am able to do this for you too. It can be done. But the desire must be there. You must see the need. You must see the danger of disunity, and you must desire to be released from the bondage of such sadness and contention, so I can then take your hand and lead you into a delightful, sweet paradise of caring fellowship and loving oneness with your mates and fellow laborers.
173. I will do it, I have promised you so. Let him who will, come. I'm waiting for you to put your hand in Mine.
174. I will separate those who are willing to give Me their whole hearts in unity. I am always calling forth My New Church from the remains of the old. Those who remain in disunity will drop off as old dead leaves from a beautiful tree, and they will be part of the Old Church, living their own lives, harboring their share of bitterness, bad feelings, and problems. Those who forsake all once again will leave behind those piles of rotting, dead, moldy old leaves.
175. I tell you plainly, if you will not follow Me, I will raise up others to fulfill My will, for My Word will be fulfilled. But I'm giving you the chance now. My call is: Forsake disunity; forsake bitterness; forsake the little grudges, dislikes and resentments. Leave the old behind and come, join together with those of like mind, who will put My call even above their own thoughts, reasoning, and desires.
176. The storm is coming, and I wish to build a protective wall of unity around the Family. I'm moving the Family to higher ground, and only those who will, may come.
177. I'm calling you to higher ground because the storm on lower ground is becoming more intense, and you must forsake these things in order to survive and not be overtaken by the Enemy's guiles. The winds are even now swirling about, so I ask the Family to come up Here where the air is clearer and fresher, and where the storms have no effect. Those who are trapped in the winds of disunity risk being blown away when the storm hits in full force. Come out of the old. Come into the new. (End of message from Jesus.)
You're All Guilty Until You
Forsake Your Sins and Get United!
178. (Mama:) Each of you who is involved in any kind of disunity whatsoever is going to have to make a choice. There's no time to procrastinate. Even not doing anything is making a choice; it's choosing to ignore the Lord's warning, to harden your heart to His words, and to continue in pride, lethargy, and sin.
179. It doesn't matter how long you've been living in division with your Home members, your mate, other Homes, or your shepherds. It's irrelevant whether it's been weeks, months or years. It doesn't matter how right you feel or how much you've been hurt. Now is the time to change! The Lord has made it clear that if you don't change, you personally and your Home stand to reap the consequences of living in disunity even more than you already are.
180. Some of these divisions go way back. There are so many scenarios, unloving actions and words, bitterness and “bad blood” that if you try to sort it all out, you'll fail. You have to just let it go. That means that you personally, as an individual, have to get it sorted out with the Lord! You have to lay it all on the altar--all your hurts, resentment, bitterness, lack of forgiveness, gossip, hatred, everything! This is not contingent on the other person making things right with you. This is not providing the other person confesses and is repentant. The onus is on you to do the right thing, and to keep on doing it until unity is restored.
181. It's nearly impossible for the VSs and COs to sort out disunity conflicts. Everyone has their story and gripes and wants to be heard and congratulated for being “so right.” It can go on and on for months! But I'm going to simplify the job of the VSs and COs right now by making it clear that when there is disunity, all parties are wrong, all parties are guilty! Until you all have done everything in your power to obey the counsel in this GN and restore unity, you will all be held accountable and responsible. The VSs and COs will begin to discipline the situation as they feel led! Forget all this endless mediation and refereeing by the area officers and COs, who have too much to do already. They don't have time to listen to everyone's complaints time and time again and then decide, “Okay, 10% of the blame is so-and–so's, but 18% of the blame is so-and-so's, and 72% of the blame is so-and-so's‚ etc.”
182. From now on, where there is disunity, regardless of who did what, you're all guilty until you forsake your sins and get united. Where there is disunity, there is pride and lack of love. And if you're really serious about being right with the Lord, even if you're “innocent,” you'll get right with the Lord, hear from Him, humble yourself, pray desperately, and find a way to restore unity.
183. I'm sorry it's come to this, but as long as you feel you'll eventually be justified and vindicated if you stand your ground and don't “give in,” as long as you feel it's the other guy's responsibility to make the first move toward reconciliation, as long as you keep looking at your “enemy” with eyes of suspicion and hatred‚ as long as you keep the gossip flowing, as long as you think you're right, you'll never get unified! Never! The Lord has made it clear that every person involved has to be willing to lay it all on the altar. That means let it go; let it pass and bury the hatchet once and for all!
184. This will take a miracle, especially considering the sad, crippled state of some fields. Some marriages and families, or young people and older people, Homes, or even entire cities and countries are so infected with hurts and bitterness from the past that it will take a miracle for the Lord to cleanse your hearts. But it isn't a miracle that is out of your reach, because it's a miracle our Husband has already promised to give.
185. In “More on the Keys, Part 3,” He promised: “This is one of the miracles that I will perform in your Homes. As you yield to My Spirit, with your enhanced gift of faith, your ability to rise above, and the keys to the Kingdom that I have now given you, you will have an increased ability to live in unity, love‚ sharing and harmony in your Homes. You will have more of My Spirit to do so! You will have more of the power of Heaven to do so! And your Homes will not just be places where you live and eat and take care of your children and take care of the things that are your own personal concerns, but they will be havens of peace, love and sweet harmony where I can bring My sheep to partake of My Spirit” (ML #3354:95, GN 947; see also para.96-100).
186. Never underestimate the power of the keys, because all things are possible with the keys. You now have the chance to clean things up voluntarily, and if you'll claim the miracle-working power of the keys today, the Lord will help you. It will be a test of your character and integrity, and certainly of your relationship with the Lord. What kind of a Christian are you? Are you really discipleship material, or do you belong back with the churches? Probably quite a few of you, in the state you're presently in, do belong with the churches, and the Lord will deal with you to help you to finally change or to make the decision to join churches who will receive you with open arms, as they're steeped so deeply in division that they don't even feel the Lord's conviction anymore or realize division is sin–-just like some of you!
What Is Unity?
187. While reading over an advance copy of this GN‚ one of our COs asked the following question:
188. I have a question about what “unity” really means. I know it sounds silly, but it seems that it would mean more than just the absence of strife and contention and disunity, that it actually means working together in harmony and love. I have seen many who have the attitude of, “I forgive you‚ but that doesn't mean I have to live or work with you. You stay there and I'll stay here, and we'll keep out of each other's way.” But that doesn't seem to be the type of unity the Lord wants us to have. I know the Charter gives everyone the right to find others of like goals and standards with whom they can live, but sometimes this search to find the perfect or ideal match goes too far‚ especially when the result is that couples have tried to live with many of the other couples or singles in a country and have moved from one to another, and are again alone and asking for an exception because they can't find anyone to live or work with! I know even forgiveness will be a big step in some of these cases, but yet it seems that we need more if some of our single-family Homes are going to again step out to live and work with others. (End of comment from CO.)
189. (Mama:) We asked our Husband about this. Here is His reply:
190. (Jesus speaking:) My prayer is that you will be one as My Father and I are one. When I say My Family needs to come together in unity, I mean they are to come together in love and oneness. In My Word I have given you example after example of the kind of unity you must have; if you have heard these things, it behooves you to do them.
191. In order to be one, to unite and live in unity, many will need to change their selfish lifestyles; they will need to adapt, to take on a give-and-take policy in their day-to-day lives. In practical terms, according to My Love Charter, this means things such as going with the majority vote rather than sticking to your own way; it means being willing to counsel with others, to pray for and with others, to hear from Me together; it means being doers of these words, and not hearers only.
192. I have said how good and how blessed are those who dwell together in unity, for in unity you are made strong. You are to have true unity in spirit and in flesh, not unity that is merely for outward show only.
193. Unity is synonymous with love. Unity is having love among yourselves. Unity is being of one mind, of one heart, of one spirit. Unity is doing all things in love. It is resisting the Enemy and rejecting all strife among you; it is not letting the sun go down upon your wrath. Unity is preferring others before yourself; it is stooping to help someone in need, even when you don't feel like it. Unity is upholding one another in prayer; it is interceding in prayer for a mate, for a brother or a sister in need. Unity is walking in lowliness of mind and in meekness; it's putting off pride, and instead, choosing to do the humble thing.
194. Unity is forbearance; it's holding your tongue when necessary. Unity keeps the bond of peace. Unity is having compassion on one another; it's walking a mile in another's shoes. Unity is kind. It is not haughty; it does not seek for vainglory. Unity sows love instead of hatred; it sows forgiveness instead of bitterness. Unity is not contrary, but it walks hand in hand with others, agreeing together.
195. Unity is the bond of love. Unity has drawing power; it never rejects. Unity continually reaches out to others; it draws a circle to bring others in. There is no selfishness in unity, for unity gives and gives and gives. Unity is praise and thanksgiving; it knows no murmuring. Unity is sticking together, being together, doing things together, working together, winning together.
196. Unity is believing in one another, trusting in one another, confiding in one another. Unity is communication. Unity is helping, sharing, caring, understanding. Unity is sacrifice; it's giving your time for others. Unity chooses the happiness of others first; it puts the needs of others before your own. Unity builds up; it never tears down. Unity is humility. Unity is thoughtfulness. Unity is love put into action. Unity is loving the one beside you as yourself. Unity never hurts or separates; it always brings together. Unity is strength. Unity is supreme.
197. This is the kind of unity My children must have. This is the kind of unity that will ford rivers, scale mountains, work miracles, and defy all impossibilities.
198. Unity is for all to be fully committed to doing My highest will, obeying the Word and having Me in first place. Unity is My blessing upon My disciples who all want the same thing, seeking to put My Kingdom first. Unity is all walking the same direction, allowing your personal goals to be the goals put forth in the Word. Unity is not synonymous with compromise; it is reaching for My highest will together. Unity is found by taking the first step to forgive, and then following Me step by step as you iron out differences, resolve problems, seek to keep the standard of My Word, and raise your children in My nurture and admonition. (End of message from Jesus.)
Warning of Coming Judgment!
199. (Mama:) One of the messages you read earlier mentions a coming storm. The channel who received that message wasn't aware that the Lord had given other similar messages of warning. You can see that the Lord is doing everything He can to get through to you. He's saying it again and again, so it's unmistakable. You can't miss it. You can't misunderstand it.
200. Here is yet another message from another channel, again warning of coming judgment. This channel, too, had not read the messages included earlier in this GN.
201. (Jesus speaking:) My people need to be warned. They need to choose if they will serve Me and obey the words I speak to My prophets, if they will follow My chosen, My queen and king for today, or if they desire the gods of this world. They must choose whom they will serve. The day of sitting on the fence is over.
202. How long, how long have I cried and wept over My children, and yet they do not heed My call! They are complacent, familiar with Me and with My words and each other, and this familiarity has bred contempt. Many are settled down, and this is the time for stirring the pot. It is time; the hour is now, today. This stirring of the pot is My mercy; it is My love.
203. And judgment, you ask? Yes, for those who disobey, for those who refuse to follow, having been forewarned, should they not heed this last call, My judgments will fall.
204. Yet you must know, even for these and for My Family at large, it is in My mercy and love that I do this thing. Judgment must begin at My house, and it is with the loving hand of My chastisement that I will chasten those who heed not My call. It is in love and mercy that I do this thing, for if My Family is going to fulfill their destiny, this must come to pass; it is necessary. This is My hand moving them along. (End of message from Jesus.)
The Lord's Love and Mercy––
One Last Chance!
205. (Mama:) You might be heavy-hearted and even fearful‚ thinking, “Oh, no! This is terrible! This is the worst GN I've ever read! What bad news! Coming judgments or persecution, oh my God!”
206. True‚ it's sobering, and the consequences of continued disobedience will be difficult. But I'm thankful for this message, and find in it a sense of relief and excitement. The Lord is going to do what Peter and I and the COs and area officers have been unable to do. He's taking matters into His Own very capable hands. He will continue to purify the Family so we can fulfill our destiny. I feel very secure knowing that the Lord loves us enough to tell us the truth and to do everything within His power to protect and preserve the Family as His Endtime army. You should see this as the ultimate compliment‚ the greatest demonstration of love. Listen to this:
207. (Jesus speaking:) You should rejoice and give Me praise! Continual thanksgiving to Me should be upon your lips, that I love you enough and care for you enough and long for you enough to stir the pot, to keep using you, to not leave you desolate. Instead I reach out now to salvage the Family, to salvage your love, service, and performance for Me in these Last Days.
208. This is the day of redemption--the day when I give My children yet one more chance, albeit your last chance! Rejoice, for it is in My mercy that I do not cut you off at this point, for indeed, you have already been warned. Search the Scriptures and you will see; the warnings are there, for I have said a house that is divided against itself will not stand. Search the Letters and you will see; the warnings are there. Yet in My love and mercy, I will make it plain this one last time. I will send out the call, the last call, for the time is far spent, the End draws near, and thus I must call My Gideon's band to take their positions.
209. It is a great day of rejoicing! There is great praise in the Heavens today‚ this day when I reach out in love and mercy to My Family. How oft, how oft would I gather you, but you come not, you heed not My call, you heed not My voice; yet in My great love and care and mercy, I send this chastisement that the souls of My children might be redeemed, that their service for Me might be redeemed.
210. It is in My love that I now send the pure, cool, purifying waters of My chastisements to smother the flames of disunity once and for all, and redeem those who choose to take the stand for Me. This is love to the greatest degree, love that knows no boundaries. (End of message from Jesus.)
211. (Mama:) Dear Family, you have three choices:
1) Obey these GNs‚ get right with the Lord, and be blessed.
2) Stay as you are in bitterness and division, and either be reclassified or asked to leave, or suffer the judgments and chastisements the Lord has warned you of.
3) Get out now and join the churches where many of you murmuring sowers-of-division belong!
With love and desperate prayer, in our caring Husband and Shepherd,
Mama
P.S.: You're Not Alone!
212. Some of you may be going through your share of battles right now. If this is the case, I don't want this GN series to discourage you even more. That's not my intent. Yes, you need to make decisions, and you each need to determine in what areas you need to change in order to be more dedicated and on board with the moves of the Spirit today. But those who are battling right now can be encouraged that you're not alone. The Lord is stirring the pot throughout the Family. Many people are experiencing the heat of battle, and though it doesn't always seem pleasant at the moment, you can know it's for a purpose. Here's some encouragement from our Husband for each of you.
213. (Jesus speaking:) To those who are being tried and sorely tested, know that you do not stand alone. Many of you are passing through the hot fires of testing in these days. This is something I am allowing, for I am stirring the pot. You, My servants, My friends, My loves, are not above your Lord. If you are going to be used in even greater ways than Me, when I walked the Earth, you must be tried. If you are going to be able to access the power of the keys you hold in your hands, your faith must be as pure gold. As it was necessary to purge Gideon's band down to those who meant business, down to those I could count on, so it is necessary among the children of David.
214. I have shared with you‚ My children, some of My Own testimony of how I was put to the test, tried and purged, both on the eve of My public ministry as well as throughout. It was a test for Me when one of My strongest disciples denied Me, when one betrayed Me, when some of the others could not fight through enough and stay awake with Me and pray for Me in My dark hour. But these tests and many others which I endured were necessary. They were necessary that I might be found worthy to receive the promise, that I might have pure gold faith to be able to access the power I held in My hands.
215. So if you feel the heat of battle hotter than ever and you feel the battle heavy upon you and the battle's flames scorching your brow, be encouraged and find solace in the fact that you are not alone. Many of the children of David are being tested. I am allowing this for an express purpose--to try you, to make you white, to strengthen your faith, that you might be found worthy for what is almost upon you.
216. If you feel overwhelmed, if the Enemy is hitting you with worry and fear, with an “I can't make it” line at the very thought of these challenges I put before you, stop right now and consider this: Ask yourselves if I've ever let you down. In all your years serving Me, whenever you took a stand to make the right decision for Me, whenever you made the right choices, did I ever fail to come through for you? Not once have I failed you. Now, ask yourselves if you can beat those odds.
217. Whenever you've chosen Me in the past, I've always come through for you in one way or another. I've always pulled you through the thick of the battle, seen you through the darkest of nights and the grimmest of situations. It's no different now. If you'll put your trust in Me and do the things I ask you to do, I will not fail you. I never have in the past, and I will not fail you now, nor in the future.
218. If you make the right choices, if you yield and obey the things I tell you to do, you cannot fail, because I will not fail you. If you'll choose My way; if you'll call on Me through the power of uniting in fasting and prayer; if you'll give Me your will, your mind, your heart; if you'll obey and yield to Me; if you'll forsake your lethargy; if you'll forsake your bickering and strife and instead unite and fight the Enemy; if you'll pick up and use the weapons I have put in your hands; if you'll access the power of the keys I have given you, I'm here for you and I will carry you through.
219. It takes faith, yes. It takes courage, yes. It takes total abandonment to My will, yes. It takes ignoring the voices crying out to you that “It's impossible.” It takes launching out into deep waters, yes. It takes taking the next step, even when you can't see the ground below or where you'll place your foot. It takes trusting Me because you know you're doing My will, and you know I will not fail you, because I have never failed to see you through. Yet if you'll do this, I will help you and I will make it through you. All you have to do is say yes to Me, call on My help, set your eyes on Me, focus on Me and Me alone, and I will give you the faith. I will give you the courage. I will help you to yield. If you'll call on the power of the keys, I will activate the power within you to defy the impossible and to rise above.
220. If you want to make it, you can. If you want to do this, you can, because I can do it through you. As long as you're willing to reach out to Me in desperation, to humble yourself, to yield and obey, I will make it through you, just as I always have in the past.
221. I do not look at the times you fall or transgress; these times are overwritten in My mind by your yieldedness and declaring to Me that yes, you want to do the things I ask of you now. Once you call on Me for help, once you choose to say yes to Me, once you confess your sins or seek forgiveness, then I remember your sins no more, and My mercy is renewed upon you. From that point on, I only see your willingness to repent and your desire to begin anew doing things the right way.
222. I know the heat of the battle rages hot and heavy upon you, My children, but without this stirring of the pot, those who will stand will not have opportunity to come forward and be counted. Without this turning up of the furnace, your faith will not be made gold‚ which is necessary if you are to withstand the Evil One in the Last Day. But remember, you do not stand alone. I turn up the heat on all My children, that the worthy may be counted.
223. The only way you can fail is by not trying. The only thing that can stand in the way of you making the needed changes in your life is you, your not wanting to come to Me in desperation to make it. But if you do, if you want it with all your heart, you can have it. If you'll trust in Me‚ put your full focus on Me, then nothing can stop you! If you'll lean fully on Me and do all you can, I will do all the rest, what you can't do for yourself. When you put your will on My side‚ when you make the decision that you want it with all your heart‚ when you yield to Me, I will meet you, and nothing will be able to stop us!
224. I will be there to walk you through every step, to light the way ahead, to carry you when necessary. At times there may be danger spots and pockets of resistance along the way, but I will be right there to shield you, to protect you from all opposition, from all harm and danger. I will be your confidence, your guarantee.
225. If you want to be fighters and never give up, to defy all impossibilities‚ to be overcomers, to be conquerors of all evil, I will teach you how! If you want to be My miracle workers of the End, accessing the power I put at your disposal, you will be. If you say yes to Me today and keep saying yes every single time you are faced with a decision, if you choose Me and choose My way, I will see you through. I will not let you down.
226. If you choose to stand on My promises, My promises will never fail you, and you stand to gain everything. All will be yours--all that is in Heaven and Earth, and the fullness thereof. All power is at your command through the keys of the Kingdom, if you choose to take it. If you want Me, I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will be for you and through you what you cannot be yourself. You will be My representatives in these Last Days and nothing will stop you, for the light and power of the Almighty will shine through you, devouring all who would oppose the truth of God. This is what you stand to gain, if you do the things I ask you to do, if you choose My will. If you want to be overcomers‚ I am here and I will see you through. It is My Word, and it cannot fail. (End of message from Jesus.)
ADDITIONAL READING:
The Enemy's Attack on
A Service Home Through Division
(Prophecy received for a pivotal Service Home that was near collapse due to long-standing division:)
227. (Jesus speaking:) The Enemy's poisonous gas has come in through disunity, and it has come in stronger than you realize. For you only see it as a small thing, as a small disagreement. “Oh‚ it's not a big deal.” You approach it as, “Nothing ever happened,” and you take it from that angle. “Oh, we had an argument, a disagreement, but the last time we saw each other, we just acted as if nothing happened.” Well, the sad thing is that something did happen; there was a breach in the wall, a breach of My spiritual security. The Enemy was allowed to come in and infect your hearts and thoughts and pollute them with his lies, disunity, and deceit, and he has come in to a great degree.
228. Each of you must check your heart. Let each one search your heart diligently to see the hidden areas where you have allowed disunity to creep in, where you have allowed negativity to creep in, where you have allowed yourself to think negatively about one another. For I have said, “Let each esteem the other greater than himself,” and “He that would be greatest among you, let him be servant of all.”
229. Now I ask each of you to check your heart. Have you truly esteemed the other greater then yourself? Have you truly given preference to your neighbor? Have you truly loved your neighbor as yourself? Have you truly given all to live the “One Wife” vision the way I asked you?
230. Or have you selfishly held back for your own good? Have you held back from giving because you didn't feel that the other person deserved it? Have you held back from loving and forgiving because of the hurt that they have caused, or because of the past history, or because of the many disagreements and arguments that you've had? Do you feel that there is too much “history” to be overcome?
231. If the latter is the case, then this is not the place for you. I cannot have a team that is unwilling to overcome the past, to forget the past, to forgive and forget and move on into the future.
232. Now is the time of forward movement! We are all moving into the future, into this greater era of action, into the greater fulfillment of My promises of Activated and the fulfillment of all that I have said I will do through My Activated vision, and you play a big role.
233. The day of disunity is over! The day of allowing disunity and spats and disagreements, of not resolving them and not coming to Me together and not working them out and not forgiving is over! Now you must turn over a new leaf.
234. Let every man examine his own heart and see where he stands before Me. Let every man take a day in solitude and quietness before Me, and Me alone, a day to come before Me‚ a day to repent, a day to pray for My forgiveness, and a day to ask Me to wash you clean from the past, from the bitterness, and from the hurt that you've received at the hands of others.
235. Now is the day to turn over a new leaf! Now is the day to start anew! (End of message from Jesus.)
Endtime Pastures
236. (Jesus speaking:) Many of the Family have been beguiled and sidetracked into the false dead-end road of disunity. But I am giving a call now to all My children of David to move deeper into the spirit. It's a spiritual thing, and for your survival you need to move deeper into the spirit now. That means more adherence to My laws of love, forgiveness, kindness, and sacrifice. This is where survival is sure, for nothing can stand against Me. My Spirit and I are One, and if you stand amongst Us, you will be protected. You will move with Me, My Spirit, and My Father to greener pastures, which I have provided for My soon-coming sheep--lush green pastures not only for feeding, but with high walls for protection from the Enemy and the storm that rages without.
237. I afford perfect protection. My Spirit really exists; it's a place, and you can be There too! But all these other things must be forsaken in order to enter in. But remember, I count it unto a man according to that which he has; that is, a willing heart. So those of you who will, come follow Me. For without are dogs and all manner of evil. But in My Spirit is perfect protection, and you shall do My will and feed My sheep, whom I am calling to greener pastures.
238. I have provided pastures for the Endtime, even My Spirit. Those who enter in will dwell safely from the evil. My sheep shall flock to you, for they will see that therein lies safety, peace, and protection. It will happen, for I have said it. (End of message from Jesus.)
Look at the Lord and
His Anointing in a Person
239. (Spirit helper speaking:) Once you've put your hand and heart to the plow, looking ahead, once you've learned your lessons, asked for prayer as needed, and are moving on in life, past incidents are just that--past, gone, left behind.
240. As you'll remember when you arrived at your Home many years ago, in the initial months things went well and you integrated into the Home, work-wise, fellowship-wise, and spiritually. But then as difficulties or some things that you felt were problems came up, you began to look more at the man rather than at his Maker, and thereby missed seeing his anointing.
241. In this work for the Lord, when you look at the person rather than the Lord in the person, when you look at the person you're working with rather than the anointing that the Lord gives them for their work or their position or ministry, then you don't see the anointing. And when you don't see their anointing, you begin to let your carnal mind kick too much into gear, which taints your judgment and insight, causing you not to respect the person. It's difficult to respect someone if you don't see the Lord and His anointing in that person.
242. If you let the human problems of the personality taint your love and respect for the person, and hinder your ability to see the Lord's hand and anointing upon them, you won't see them with the Lord's eyes and you won't judge righteous judgment. You know the Lord's ways are not man's ways, and the way He sees individuals is not as man sees them. He judges righteous judgment; He sees the heart in ways you cannot. But if you can keep your eyes on the Lord and stay close to Him, then all those things are kept in their proper perspective.
243. You also have to have the faith to know that the Lord is in control. You have to have the patience to wait for His hand and way in solving any real problems that need to be taken care of. You can't just try to rectify something that may truly be wrong in your own way and according to your own judgment, which may be tainted through a misguided outlook. You have to be communicating with the Lord so He can see you through the difficulties and trials you may be experiencing at the same time. Then you'll have the Godly insight and conviction to lovingly stand on the Word and judge righteous judgment, rather than self-righteous criticism.
244. When you lose respect for someone, it makes it difficult to counsel with them, to trust them, and your love wears thin. You'd rather not fellowship so much or so closely, and you'd rather do things more independently. Through a lack of respect, because of waning faith from getting your eyes off of the Lord, you also lose the strength of counsel within what may be a teamwork ordained of the Lord, for not only you and your benefit, but for them and theirs.
245. As your David so often said, “For God's sake, follow God.” You have to see God! You have to see the Lord! You have to know the Lord. You have to know and see the Lord and His hand in your life and in the lives of the ones you're working with. You have to have the faith that the Lord is in control. He not only wants to work things out, but He will, in His time and way. He has a place and a plan for everything and you have to trust Him to do it His way, the best way.
246. So one of the important things here is a lack of respect caused by looking at the man instead of his Maker, by getting your eyes off of the Lord. Looking at difficulties and judging them through the eyes of the carnal mind only brings on self-righteousness and independence, rather than helping to bring about positive solutions and unity. Everyone has problems, as we all know, but the human problems are not necessarily the problem. The problem is how they are looked upon and with what judgment they're judged. (End of message from spirit helper.)
Letter Links
Following are some of the key Letters and excerpts of Letters on unity which have been published in the last five years:
ML #3072:1-27, 101-141, “Problems and Solutions!--Part 4.” (GN 702/Lifelines 23)
ML #3100, “Come Together--In Love.” (GN 722/Lifelines 24)
ML #3124:1-48, “Man Looketh on the Outward Appearance, Part 1.” (GN 735/Lifelines 24)
ML #3126, “Mama's Memos!--No.3.” (GN 734/Lifelines 24)
ML #3150:54-76, “Dad's Christmas Message for 1997.” (GN 755/Lifelines 24)
ML #3158:31-85, “Keynote to the 1998 Birthday Feast.” (GN 766/Lifelines 24)
ML #3160:113-253, “Goals for 1998.” (GN 765/Lifelines 24)
ML #3161, “Overcoming the Generation Gap!” (GN 767/Lifelines 24)
ML #3211, “Living the Lord's Law of Love!--Pt.11.” (GN 814/Lifelines 25)
ML #3222, “Citizens of the Kingdom!” (GN 835)
ML #3234, “Loving Interaction!” (GN 837)
ML #3293, “Self-righteousness--The Great Barrier to Uniting the Generations! Practical Tips for Unity.” (GN 897)
ML #3308:79-88,125-139, “The Family's Future and Expansion Program.” (GN 908). (See also “Problem-Solving Steps” on pages 26-28 of this GN.)
ML #3323, “Communication Keys, Part 1-2.” (GN 927-928)
ML #3354:83-108, “More on the Keys, Part 3.” (GN 947)
Copyright © 2001 by The Family
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