By Maria

Maria #503 CM/FM 3258 8/99

1. Dear Family, I know you're praying desperately after having read "The Shakeup 2000!" This is a time of personal choice. The decision is clear–cut for those of you who are completely convinced of where you want to be, whether in the CM Family, the FM Family, or out of the Family. But if you're unsure of where you best fit in, or if you feel so weak spiritually and incapable that you lack faith that you can uphold the CM standard, or even the FM standard, then you're likely to be in a very uncomfortable state of indecision and possibly even confusion.

2. I want to share with you the following mess­age from our wonderful Lover, which was given many months ago for a woman in the CM Family. This prophecy is further confirmation that the Lord has been preparing the Family for this time of decision‚ not only through the written Word in the GNs but also through the personal prophecies that He has given you as individuals.

3. The beautiful promises in this message are yours to claim. This is not just a message for the one person for whom it was originally given, but it is for you too, and if you have a hard time believing that‚ just listen to what Jesus said: "Though I was speaking to this one person in her hour of need‚ and though I was answering her secret heartcry, I assure you that this is a message that many of My children need and can relate to. This challenge is for many‚ because the children of David are of one heart, mind and spirit, and they seek the same fulfillment in their lives—that of doing My will. So share this message with all and let each take these Words as My personal Words of comfort, challenge and encour­age­ment to them."

4. (Mama:) I pray these Words from Jesus to you will be a blessing during this crucial time of decision.

5. (Jesus speaking: ) My precious little one, My darling, I love you! How I love to be close to you, and to feel you nestle your head softly and gently on My breast. I adore you. I desire you. I want more than anything to be close to you.

6. I've watched you day after day, week ­after week, year after year, and you have proved your love. I don't doubt that you want Me. Thank you for staying close, for saying yes, for wanting to receive the Word, for feeding My sheep, for having children for My glory, and for continuing to fight the good fight of faith. All these big steps of obedience and yielded­ness over the years are proof of your love for Me.

7. Being close to Me and fulfilling My will for your life are what have brought you great happiness. That's the secret formula, the magic key to satisfaction and challenge. There have been times when you struggled with changes and when you felt too much was being asked of you. But with time, you realized that the direction I was leading you was not too much for you, and the climb was not too steep. You took My hand, even when you felt trepidation‚ and you walked by faith.

8. Through the years, you've learned that it pays to trust Me. No matter how dark or puzzling the circumstances, even if it seemed you'd lose some­thing very dear to you, you've learned that the surest way to preserve your greatest treasures in life is to give them to Me, along with your heart, your will, and your future.

9. I'm so proud of you, My dear, for though you've fallen many times throughout the years, you've risen again to greater strength, and with a keener sense of My presence. I don't fault you for your struggles. I don't hold against you the times when you balked at My will or tried to wiggle out from under the conviction of My Spirit, because each time you eventually yielded and I rewarded you as a result. All the happiness, success, fulfillment, satisfaction, joy, good health, abundant supply, and challenge that you experience on a day-to-day basis is a direct result of your obedience to Me. I am the giver of all good gifts. I am the rewarder of all good deeds. I am the keeper of all purse strings, and the provider in both abundance and scarcity.

10. If you could only see how in control I am of your life and the blessings you've enjoyed, you would be in awe. For though you know that I love you and I've cared for you, you ­sometimes get your eyes on other sources, other people, other avenues that you give more credit to than you should. I'm sure you can imagine how that makes Me feel—dis­appointed, left out, forgotten, ignored‚ and misunder­stood. But in spite of that‚ I've never ceased to care for you, watch over you‚ and guard you each step of your way.

11. My love, I want to tell you a secret now—a very important secret. This has been explained in general terms in the Word from the queen and king, and you have meditated on these things somewhat‚ but I have much more to tell you. So now I tell you plainly and personally: Though we've had a wonderful love affair and we've enjoyed each other all these years‚ there's much, much more that we will yet experience. There are oceans of love, passion, tender­ness‚ and expressions of love and under­standing that we have yet to taste of. Oh‚ My darling, My beautiful bride, if you could only see as I do, if you could only get a glimpse into the spirit world at all that awaits you, you would jump for joy! You'd be beside yourself with amazement‚ feeling so unworthy, yet anticipating with unspeakable joy that which is to come.

12. I've sent forth the call to the children of David to come closer, nearer to My bosom. I've reached out to take each one into My arms and to nurture a relationship that is much more than what was before. Many have come, but some have held back, and some have refused altogether. What is your choice, My love? Will you come closer? Will you love Me with total abandon?

13. I know you might feel that you already love Me fully and completely. You feel you have forsaken all, you're serving Me the best you can. But if you will receive it, there is more. We can be much closer and our relationship can be more real. I can be your First Love again, better than ever before. You can feel My love and blessing manifested in your life more than ever before. You can wake each morning with excitement, with newness of life, just being glad to be alive and anticipating the day before you with great enthusiasm. You can find a renewed burden for being My messenger to the lost, and its indescribably fantastic rewards.

14. You can have that undying love for your brethren burst forth in your heart once again, the love you had as a babe that made you cry out, "My Family, my Family; I know it's right, my Family!" You can weep again, as you did in years gone by, to the song, "Love your brother, while he's still around." You can find the simplicity and freedom of not being bound to the things of this world, the fleeting riches of man.

15. Does all this sound inviting, or does it seem too good to be true? Maybe the suggestion of these things has awakened in your heart a longing for days gone by‚ simpler days‚ when things seemed so much less complicated and you seemed so much more fit for the battle. Ah‚ My darling‚ fear not. Don't push these feelings away. Don't harden your heart. This is how I want you to feel. I want to take you back to your roots, back to the beginning‚ back to your days of innocence. I want you to remember how good it was‚ how happy it made you to be simple—simply Mine and simply in love with Me.

16. Do you feel that such innocence, such simplicity, is impossible to recapture—that too much water has passed under the bridge, too much has happened, that things have changed? Yes, much has changed, but the basics of living for Me remain the same, and My promises for those who put Me first are still sound, strong and immovable.

17. If you're ready, precious one, for the ride of your life, for an explosion of the Spirit that is guaranteed to be all that you want and more‚ then trust Me. Just reach out your hand now and walk with Me. Listen to these words of counsel, and I'll tell you what's lacking, where you've missed the mark, and how you can get back to the simple joys of life that always meant so much to you. I can't promise that it will be easy, but I can promise that it will be worthwhile. I give you My word of honor that you will not be disappointed. No matter what sacrifice you make, no matter how painful or difficult, even if you feel you're dying, the reward will be much, much more.

18. I can see you're interested; I've really got your attention. You're wondering what in the world I could possibly ask you. It's nothing I haven't asked you before: Give your all to Me. Lay it all down. Become My disciple once again. You know what that means. It's a 100% giving. It's having no will of your own. It's putting My Kingdom first. It's forsaking all!

19. You've done this before, and now I ask you again to come and follow Me. Be a fisher of men, soft clay in My hands, the one who found the pearl of great price and sold all that he had so that he could buy it.

20. Will you lay every dream, every earthly desire, every relationship‚ every personal belonging, your children, your friends, your as­pirations, your reputation, your marriage, your resentment and bitterness, your bad habits, all at My feet? Will you become a child again? Are you willing to be a servant of all? Can you let go of your independence and your feeling that you're a "special case"? Can you have all things in common with your brethren, according to Acts 2:44 and 45? Can you humble yourself to receive counsel and shepherding? Will you step out to use the new weapons of the new day? Will you let Me have first place in your heart, your life, your schedule, your priorities, your finances, and your plans?

21. I know this is not an easy challenge. I feel for you, My love. I sense your resistance and the sick feeling in your stomach, for you know better than anyone the extent of the change that I'm asking of you. You know that if you say yes to Me this time, with complete and utter ­abandon, holding back nothing, it will be as big a change for you as when you first joined the Family.

22. I will not pretend that this will be easy, for you've developed some selfish, independent habits, and it will feel as if it's tearing your heart out as you give them up. But this has been My challenge to all mankind. I set the level of discipleship at complete surrender when I said, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." This still holds true today. Nothing has changed.

23. I have not changed. The Word has not changed. The need has not changed. The reward for such sacrifices has not changed. Only you have changed, My darling, in your perception of things, in your level of dedication and your do-or-die spirit.

24. I tell you this not to hurt you or discourage you. And by pointing this out‚ I in no way minimize the sacrifices you've made and the fruit you've borne. I know you love Me and you've proved your love in many ways. But I must be a faithful Messenger and Shepherd and tell you that the days which come will be fierce and dark. You'll face battles and difficulties that you have not yet known.

25. You enter the Last Days, the time when only those who know their God shall be strong and do exploits. There will be many who will be left behind‚ who will fall by the wayside—not because they didn't have fruitful years or good intentions, but because their lives were corrupt with sin and the deceitfulness of riches, or because they failed to heed My warnings about the need to prepare spiritually by using the new weapons.

26. These are not idle‚ pretty-sounding spiritual principles or little children's bedtime stories. These are serious warnings that will make or break the future of each of the children of David. I'm doing everything I possibly can to help My children to wake up, as are Queen Maria and King Peter. You've read the Word, you've seen the videos of King Peter, and you've been involved in the challenges at various Birthday Feasts of past years.

27. What message has repeatedly been empha­sized? Did I not stress getting back to the basics of unity, forsaking all‚ living the "One Wife" vision and the Law of Love, and exercising the new weapons, including loving Me intimately? The message has been given time and time again, yet still I implore you, I beg you, My love, to take heed.

28. This is the day of surrender. This is the day to say yes, to take up the challenge of all that you've read and heard. This is your opportunity to be a doer of the Word, one who lifts up the standard, who joins together with your brethren and shepherds to pull in the direction of the New Wine, so as to strengthen the young people, your children, your mate, and your Home. This is My personal invitation to you to a new life, a new beginning.

29. I know you can do this. You're determined and strong. What you put your mind to‚ you can accom­plish. But this time it won't be through your own resolve or strength of character, but through your humility‚ yieldedness, and love for Me. Now is the time to lay it all at My feet‚ to say, "Nothing in my hands I bring; only to Your will I cling." And My will for you, My dear lovely bride, is to let it all go, to give it all back to Me—anything and everything you hold dear—and trust Me to give you what I know you need and what will make you happier than you've ever been before.

30. Will you trust Me, My beloved? I love you and want the best for you. I know better than you do what will bring you the peace of mind that you seek. You've struggled long enough, so now I call you to rest, to lay it all down‚ to be­come a child once again, and to taste and see My goodness. As you seek Me and My will first, as you receive these, My personal special Words for you, and obey them, you'll see that I will not fail in one of all My good promises to you.

31. We will be as newlyweds, enraptured in endless love, and I will shower blessing upon blessing on you. Your children will be strengthened; your marriage will have a fresh influx of love and passion; your will to live and love will be renewed; your desire for My Word will return; and you will find great joy in your brethren once again. All this is yours for the asking, if you will just give yourself wholly and completely to Me. All Heaven is at your command, and I am your Husband and Lover. Ask what you will, and you will receive. (End of message from Jesus.)

32. (Mama:) Thank You, Jesus, our precious Lover and Husband‚ for giving us so much! You ask that we give You our all in return, but really it's so little compared to the reward You have in store for us‚ and even the blessings You give us here and now, day by day, for follow­ing and obeying You!