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GN
941
Keys to Victory
series
Leadership Lessons, Part 1
By
Maria
Contents
The Lord's ultimatum 3
The starting point
… 10
A feast set before us 10
Making Word time a
habit 11
Staying free of
distractions 16
Absorbing the
Word 17
The parallel of the mountain and
restful time with the Lord 18
The day of no
impossibilities 20
Dear
Family,
1.I love you so much,
and Peter and I keep you in our daily prayers. As you read recently in GN
934 (ML #3 338:52), we prepared some booklets of material for the CROs to read
during their personal devotions and quiet time at the summit. The booklets were
composed of excerpts of their personal prophecies, as well as messages we
received from the Lord on various aspects or lessons of leadership, or in answer
to questions that had come up in their reports. We want to share some of those
messages with you in this series of Keys to Victory GNs, which we'll call
“Leadership Lessons.” We're also working on a compilation of excerpts of
the CROs' personal prophecies with some good counsel and inspiring messages,
which we hope to get to you soon.
2.Most of the messages in this series are in some way directed to
leadership, or tied in to the responsibilities of a shepherd. But when we
were praying about how to best share this counsel with you, the Lord
said:
3.(Jesus
speaking:)I'm calling each of My children of David to be a
shepherd to some degree. I've made that clear in the call and dire
ction I've put forth--both with the Activated vision and expanding
your sheepfolds, your membership, as well as throughout your history. I've
long been preparing you for the day when you will be the leaders of My Endtime
children, teaching and instructing many. Those days are now fast
approaching, and it's time for every Family member to realize the responsibility
that will soon be upon them.
4.Up until this time it has seemed afar off to many. Those days have seemed
distant, especially wh en they have looked around at the meager
responsibilities they carried in the flesh, compared to some others. But
with the era of action will come much change in the way you see yourselves as a
Family. You will no longer be communities of followers, with one or two or three
obvious leaders or shepherds. Each of you will be called upon to shepherd, to
step forth, to claim your responsibility as one of My leaders who has been
prepared for years for this ministry and calling. You will be called up on to
give from the storehouses that I have blessed you with. You will be called
to be examples, both in your public lives and in your private
lives.
5.These lessons, in
essence, are for each Family member. For each Family member is called, or
will soon be called, to take up the torch and responsibility of leadership.
(End of message from
Jesus.)
6.(Mama:)
Obviously, there are parts of this series that will apply more directly to
your life or situation than will others, depending on yo ur particular
responsibilities or who you're shepherding. But please pray that you can get all
you can from this valuable counsel the Lord gave for your top leadership, as the
Lord said that much of it applies--or will yet apply--to you as
well.
7.In this GN are the
messages the Lord gave on the importance of our time with Him. This was the
main lesson and spiritual thread of the summit, and when praying about these GNs
and which topics to get out to you first, the Lord said, “The first prio rity is
time with Me. If that is given the proper attention and emphasis, everything
else falls into place. Start with the messages on that topic, and then go on
from there. Even though some of the other material is newer, or less has been
published about it, time with Me is still the most important, and is the
foundation for all else.”
8.So even if some of this doesn't sound like very “new” material to you, He
wouldn't be asking us to publish more on this topic--taking our time
preparing it, and the expense of printing and shipping it to you--if He didn't
know that it was important and necessary, and that we need to still make more
progress in this area. So please take it as such, and I believe you'll be
challenged to do whatever is necessary to make this a priority in your life once
again.
9.We've left the
questions that we asked the Lord and the messages He gave in response pretty
much as they were given, without a lot of added commentary or explanation.
Please note that these don't cover every aspect of every possible scenario, so
if something's not clear or you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask our
terrific Answer Man for more! He's always obliging and happy you asked, and will
help to clarify things or give you the personalized application for your
situation. I love you!
The Lord's
Ultimatum
10.This first
message was given for our dear, precious, hard-working CROs, and we read it
during the keynote meeting of the summit. The Lord showed us to share it
with you for several reasons:
11.Number 1: The spiritual principles apply to you as well; the counsel
is sound whether you're in leadership or not. Even though it's directed to
the CROs and some specifics might not be the same for you, ask the Lord to help
you apply it to your life, responsibilities, and
ministry.
12.Number 2:
The Lord is calling each Family member to prepare to become a shepherd. That
means that the counsel the Lord gives in this message about how the CROs' sample
affe cts the Family overall applies to each of you as well. Your sample affects
your flocks, or will affect the flocks the Lord is preparing to give
you.
13.Number 3:
Hearing the ultimatum the Lord has given the CROs should make you pray for them,
and do all you can to make it easy for them to be good by being respectful of
their time with the Lord, not interrupting them during their conference days,
etc. If you have a problem that you want them to help you with, but it's
something that you haven' t yet taken to the Lord, do that first. See what He
has to say, and then if you still need to talk to your CROs, you can share with
them what the Lord has already told you. That will lighten their load
considerably when they know you're taking your problems to our Husband and
letting Him help you carry them. They won't be tempted to take them on
themselves in order to relieve you.
14.Number 4: In this message the Lord talks to the CROs about
how many of them had lost the joy of their salvatio n. We asked the Lord if
that applied to the Family overall as well, and here's what He
said.
15.“Many of My beloved
brides have lost the joy of their salvation. It's something that not many
people want to admit--they feel condemned and humiliated that they feel this
way, and they wonder if they're the only one. Some of the older ones wonder if
it's because they've reached the end of their steam, the end of their
usefulness, or if it's a condition that comes with the slowing down of the body
a s you get older. Many of the younger ones have accepted it as just a way of
life, and many wonder if they'll be able to keep going and doing the same thing
day after day.
16.“It's
something that I want to free My children from! The joy of their salvation
is a right, a blessing that I've ordained for them to have, part of their reward
for following Me! I'm furious at the Enemy for his plan by which he has stolen
it away from My children, and I wish to give it back in full measure! Each one
sho uld read this message as if it were given for them, because it is indeed for
them. While there might be small details that are different in every situation,
this overall message, this plea, this ultimatum, is for each of My dear
brides.
17.“I want each of
them to reach their full potential. I want each of them to go on to serve Me
to the greatest capacity and enjoy the greatest usefulness possible. I want each
of them to be fully happy in Me. This message will be a turning point. This
message holds the keys to victory!” (End of message from
Jesus.)
18.Number
5: Pray and ask the Lord for your own ultimatum. Ask Him, “What will
happen if I'm not faithful to take my time with You?” His answer will surely be
motivating, and will help you give this time the priority that it
deserves.
I know what you're
going through
19.(Jesus speaking:) My darling loves, My generals and faithful warriors,
I love you, I appreciate you, and I need you. I know the hardship you have
borne over the long term. I feel the heartache you have felt at seeing your
plans and desired progress frustrated and thwarted and not moving forward as you
have wished. I've been touched with the physical afflictions you have endured,
which are often a direct result of the load you carry, with all the stress,
worry, concern and physical sacrifices that come with it. I'm not a stranger to
the personal discouragement and even despair that you've felt, as you view
yourself as so incapable of meeting the great de mands before you. I understand
the times you've nearly collapsed under the weight of your enormous to-do list,
wondering if maybe it would be better for you, your family, and everyone if
you were to just resign.
20. I
realize that you feel embarrassed and ashamed that you don't use the new weapons
more, that you don't love Me intimately more, that you don't ask Me everything
as much as you should. I understand that feeling of falling short in your
personal sample. I have felt your anguish of heart when you've looked around you
at the overwhelming problems in the Family and felt it was impossible. You felt
horrible for your lack of faith, but there just seemed no end to the troubles,
and no solutions in sight.
21.What a job, the job of a CRO. You are all saints in that you have been
willing to accept and endure such a job. What could possibly motivate
you to do that? What could make you want to live such a life of sacrifice, where
you get so little credit for the good or the prog ress, and yet nearly all
the blame for the bad or the mistakes? What could possibly cause you to look
deep within you for the strength and endurance to keep going for so long under
such a weight and such pressure? It is love that compels you to do
it--love for Me, your brethren, and the lost of the
world!
22.I know that each
day you give to the limit, you pour out all that's within you. You try your
very hardest to get as much done as you can. You weep when you hear of the
problems of the sh eep, and it pushes you to work hard for their
sakes.
23.I am intimately
involved in each of your lives, and I know what you're going through. I see
it. I feel it. It hurts Me to see you so burdened, so sad. While I admire you
for your willingness and unselfishness, at the same time I weep for you. Deep
within Myself I grieve for you, My loves, for I know that it's too much to bear,
too heavy a load. I know you've lost your joy, and your lives have become
drudgery. It's just so much work. Work , work, work, every hour, every day,
until there's so little of anything else--so little laughter, so little time
with the babes and the children, so little time singing and dancing, so little
time in My creation, so little time just loving and enjoying
Me.
You've become
Marthas
24.Where did it
all go--the joy, the simplicity, the happiness in knowing Me? Have you
stopped recently to reflect on that? What changed in your life? It used to all
be so exciting. The Word was a source of consta nt fascination. You loved
witnessing. Each day you woke with a song on your lips. There were so many
little miracles. The supply of your needs was a continual manifestation of My
love for you. There were new adventures, interesting things to learn, great
people to talk to, and life was fun. Serving Me was a constant thrill. What
happened?
25.All that I just
described to you is part of what I refer to as “the joy of your salvation.”
Those people who know Me and are saved are the most blessed people on Earth. And
you, the children of David, are the most blessed of the blessed--for not only
are you saved and you know it, but you are also rich in spirit because of My
truth and revelations, and in having a purpose in living. There's no one on
Earth as blessed as you, as privileged, or as rich. What a calling, what a
vocation, what an honor!
26.But in spite of that, most of you know that something is missing in your
life. You hear these words and you're pricked in your conscience. You feel
ashamed because you know you haven't been feeling this way or even been aware of
this perspective. You've gotten so far away from this simple vision and reality.
It seems like a dream, almost childlike or surreal. I will tell you
why.
27.My darling loves, as
much as you have meant well, as much as you have had the right motives and
served Me with unselfishness and sincerity, there is one thing that you're not
seeing or not accepting. This is a serious problem. For the most part, you
hav e not chosen that good thing that will not be taken away. You have become
Marthas--very faithful, diligent, concerned and caring Marthas, but Marthas
nonetheless. You are cumbered about with so much service, so much work and
labor. It hurts Me to have to say this, because I know you've meant well and
you've truly wanted to do your best. I know it seems impossible for you to have
done anything differently. For that reason, this chiding might seem unfair, and
you might even feel a bit resentful or upset. I understand.
I don't
hold the past against you
28.In pointing this out to you, I'm not minimizing your desire to do the right
thing.I know why you've done what you have. So do the king and
queen. They know you love Me and the Family and that you want people to be
happy, to have their needs met. You want the Service Homes to provide the best
service possible. You want the Activated desks to get off the ground. You
want to care for the security of the Family. You want to provide th e training
and encouragement the young people need. And those are only a few of the reasons
why you've served as you have. For this reason, trust Me when I say I don't
condemn you for your Martha-ism, for your many works, for the effort you've put
forth. I appreciate it, and I give credit where credit is
due.
29.I applaud you for
your unselfishness! I honor you for your endurance and perseverance under
very difficult conditions!
30.I speak not to condemn you, or even to make you feel bad. My intent, My
loves, is only to make things better for you--better for your
families and better for the flocks you care for. That is My goal. The way
I look at it is, this is a new beginning. I'm not holding the past against you.
I'm looking at today and at the future. I'm not thinking of the past, but of
your needs today and where we're headed.
31.If it's easier for you to not feel sensitive or condemned, you can
even look at this little talk as a logistical meeting, a business meeting where
we're exploring the most effective plan for the future. When a company or
organization does that at their year-end board meeting, they don't spend a lot
of time rehashing the mistakes of the past. They acknowledge them, and then they
quickly turn their sights to the future. They realize there's nothing that can
be done about the past, so why worry about
it?
32.Let's learn from the
past, and then forget it. Let's just look at the future. I want you to know
what to expect in the months and yea rs to come. I want you to know what you can
expect of Me and what I expect of you. Fair enough?
You will always
have too much to do
33.With the implementation of the board vision, your lives will be
different. The ultimate goals of the board vision are to raise up more
leadership, share the load of authority and decision-making, service the Family
better by generating more ideas, and provide a means by which those ideas can be
prayed about and eventually made a reality. Eventually you CROs will find that
your lives are simpler and your vision is more focused on those portfolios in
which you're gifted and experienced. Eventually your load will be
lighter.
34.All of that will
take time. It's not like you're going to leave the summit and “presto
change-o,” you're not getting as many messages, or having to counsel as many
people, or attend as many meetings, or travel as much. Yes, the goal is to make
life easier for you, and that should and will happen. But it might not happen to
the point that you'll feel so much different, at least not right
way.
35.Having said that, I
want to explain something that is key. You must understand this principle if
you're to make the change needed in your life: You will always have too much
to do. Even after the board vision is fully functioning, you will
still have too much to do. That might sound quite disappointing to you,
or even like the board vision is lacking in some way. But the truth of the
matter is that I purposely allow you to have too much to do. That's part
of My plan, and it's for a very definite, express
purpose.
36.Your having too
much to do should force you to come to Me, to depend on Me. I want to carry
your load. I want to work with you. I want to be your primary Teamworker. If
your load were so manageable for you, if it weren't absolutely overwhelming and
crushing, then you'd carry it on your own, thinking, “I can handle this.” So I'm
forced to keep the pressure on, to keep you under the weight of the b urden in
hopes that you'll cry out to Me and let Me carry it. This will not change
even with the implementation of the boards.
Your work must be founded
on the spiritual
37.Besides the fact that I want to work with you and be close to you, helping
you on a daily basis, there is another reason why I make your load in the
physical more than you can bear. It's because your work for Me, the Family's
work for Me, is a spiritual matter. Your efforts and works must be
founded primarily upon the s piritual. As you well know, you wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
spiritual wickedness in high places. Greater am I that am in you than he
that is in the world.
38.No
matter how much training, expertise, wisdom or initiative you or your co-workers
have, that alone will never be enough. Never! Even your best efforts, your
hardest work, your greatest teamworking and pumping people power will never be
enough. Only I can make up the differen
ce.
39.You must have My
miracle-working power, otherwise everything you do will fall short. This
is the crux of the matter. If you can just understand this point, then I believe
you'll never stray down that path of Martha
again.
40.What that means is,
no matter how hard you work, no matter how many messages you write or how many
meetings you host, it will never be enough, because it's the dynamics of the
spirit world that My work must be done first and foremost in the spirit--through
spend ing time with Me in the Word and prayer. I know you know this in
principle; you've read it hundreds of times. But the full truth of this has
failed to sink deep within your heart. The reality of My power and your need for
it has not taken hold in your mind to the point that it governs your priorities,
decisions, and mindset.
Let Me work for
you!
41.Be honest with
yourselves. If you truly understood this concept and accepted it fully in
your heart, do you think you'd be missing your Word ti me, skipping your prayer
vigils, and regularly postponing or cutting short your conference days? Step
back and examine yourselves. Look at the way you operate. What do you
see?
42.I'll tell you what
I see. There are multitudes who need to be reached with My
message. There are countless disciples to be won. There's a hungry and
bleating flock already within the folds. There are ravenous wolves attacking and
trying to maim and kill the lambs. There are harvesting tools to be made and
implement ed. And there you stand with your little tools in hand, ready to go to
work. You're determined and dedicated, and you're looking around seeing which
direction to move first. Of course, it's overwhelming, as each and every need
would be a full-time job. So you dash around, a little here and a little there.
Your tools are very tiny and outdated, so you get your hands all scratched up
and your clothes torn. By the end of the day you're exhausted, dirty, and sad.
The next day it begins again.
43. All
the while I'm standing right behind you--Me with My team of angelic helpers and
spirit beings who tower above you like giants--and we're trying to get your
attention. We're waving and shouting and whistling! We have huge modern
technology in our hands, tools that you've never seen. If you'd just ask, we're
ready to operate our tools on your behalf, which would make your work much
easier. But alas, you keep running around here and there, saying, “I'll be right
with You. Just a minute. I just have to take care of this one thing, and then
this other, and then this other. Ahhh … just one second. Really, I'm almost
done.”
44.Every once in a
while you collapse, and then you call on Me and My team, and we're so happy!
Finally we're able to step in and do the work for you. But then, as
soon as you feel you've recouped a tiny bit of strength, you're up and at it
again. “Oh, excuse me,” you say, as you push your way to the front. “Uhhh, I
need to get to work. Could You move over a little? Let me see, now where was I?”
And there you go again. Same story, over and
over.
45.If you could see it
from My point of view, you'd see that it's really ridiculous! You are
merely weak men and women. I am the God of the Universe. All power is given to
Me. I rule! I keep My promises. I am a faithful, doting Husband, and yet there's
so little room for Me in your lives.
46.You know what that is? It's self-righteousness. It's
thinking too highly of yourselves. It's the epitome of the arm o f the flesh.
Anything and everything that you could ever do is minute, weak and pathetic
compared to what I can do. I can do anything! I can do everything! When
you really think about it, what can you
do?
47.This is My
work, My Family, My flock, My harvest field, My
tools, and I am the Boss! This is something I want to get
straightened out once and for all. If you want to work for Me, if you want to be
an example to the flock, if you want to be in leadership, there are rules, and
the first on e on the list is to let Me work! The way you do that is by
letting Me into your lives fully. Instead of thinking the world will fall apart
if you don't rush into the day answering your mail messages, instead of working
late into the night trying to finish up that last file, instead of all those
long, draining meetings, instead of rushing around here and there to tie up
every loose end in sight--call on Me. Let Me work for you! Let Me do it!
Because don't you get it?--Only I
can!
48.I want to see
your priorities change. I want that time with you in My Word every single
day. I want to speak to you in prophecy every single day! I want to give you
answers as you meditate in prayer every single day. I want you to lay hold of My
miracle-working power through intercessory prayer every single day. You either
do that or you're fired!
49.Sorry, but we need to be clear here. I'm the Boss. It's My
company. Those are the rules. It has to be that way, and the reason it has
to be that way is be cause otherwise you'll fail, and the Family will
fail. It's as simple as that. There's too much for you as a human to do.
The load is and will always be too big. The battle is waged in the spirit, not
in the physical world. You must have My miracle-working power.
You
could have taken more time with Me
50.I've spoken to many of you personally on this subject in your
prayer times with Me. I've exposed your pride and self-righteousness to you
privately. I've held your convicted hearts in My h ands, and now, with this
message, I'm giving you the answer. You can't blame others--not your teamwork,
your Home members, or the king and queen. No matter what the circumstances were
that you faced over the last months or years, you could have come to Me. You
could have taken the time. You could have cast your burdens on Me. You could
have cried out to Me to do what you couldn't do. You could have shown yourself
weak to your mate, teamwork, Home and field. You could have done it. You could
have solicited My power.
51.If you had done so more, you would have seen miracles. You would have
released the power of Heaven on your behalf. Things would be different
today.
52.Of course, it's not
that you never prayed or sought Me. You did. Sometimes you did so more
faithfully than other times. But again, it was often not too long before most of
you muscled your way up to the front again, pushing Me and your spirit helpers
aside, so you could go to work. You failed to avail yourself of My p ower
fully, because you refused to show yourself fully dependent upon Me. You chose
instead to do it yourself, to work hard, to push and
cram.
53.That's why you're so
tired, so burned out, so sad. Your sample trickles down, and the loss is
cumulative. When others don't see you spend the time you need to with Me; when
they don't see you commit your needs to Me, expecting miracles; when there's a
lack of intercessory prayer--then that affects their habits as well. I
know that's a terrible weigh t of responsibility, but it's sad but true that
most people look more at the sample of their leaders and shepherds than
at what's written in the Word. I wish I could free you from that burden,
but it's the nature of man to follow man and what they can see, rather than
what's invisible or known only in
theory.
54.I know your hearts
and I know that your greatest desire is to please Me. Again, I acknowledge
that what you've done, you've done with good motives. For this reason, I beg
you, My darl ings, to not allow the Enemy of your soul to come in with lies,
condemnation, and remorse. Forget the past. Let's just learn the lesson and go
on. Look at the future. This is a new day, and there are miracles to
come!
Remember this
55.If you don't remember anything else from this whole summit,
remember these things:
-- There will
always be more than you can humanly do. I allow that so you will need
Me.
-- No matter how hard you work, it
will never be enough.
-- You must have My
miracle- working power through the spirit and prayer. Anything else will fall
short and will fail.
-- I am the
Boss.
-- I want time with you every
day--in My Word, hearing My voice in prophecy, in quiet rest and meditation, and
in intercessory prayer. If you do these things, you will gain and move forward
in great leaps and bounds. If you don't, you will see a great
loss.
-- Your sample affects others
individually and your field overall.
56.If you will take up the challenge to change, My loves, y ou will
see a change--in your spirits, your personal happiness, your relationships,
and the fruitfulness of your Homes and fields. I want to make life easy for you.
I want to free you from the addictions to stress and overwork. I want you to be
happy and inspired. I want others to see Me in
you.
57.I know you can do it,
but it will take building new habits. Work together. Help each other. Start
today! Make it all worthwhile--all the sacrifices and hard work of the past--by
letting Me finish t he job! I love you and need you. I know you won't let
Me down or push Me away again. You won't be disappointed! Your Lover and doting
Husband, Jesus. (End of message from
Jesus.)
58.(Mama:) In that message, you probably noticed that the Lord places a
good deal of responsibility on the CROs and strongly corrects them for their
lack of faithfulness to take time with Him, to take things to Him, to let
Him work. He even goes so far as to say that things would be different in the
Family today i f they had. I was concerned about publishing that for you,
because it's a natural human tendency to try to blame your problems on someone
else, especially if you're having a rough go of things, or you have any
bitterness or resentment in your heart to begin with. It's so much easier to
blame someone else than it is to take the responsibility yourself for the
situation you're in, and then work to correct it. I asked the Lord about it, and
He answered with two very important points, which I'll sum marize below. Please
pay great attention to these, and whenever you remember the Lord's scolding to
the CROs, remember these along with it:
59.1) Every Family member has had the Word. Even if your
leadership haven't been as faithful to take time with the Lord as they should
have, and thus have not been the sample to you of dependence on the Lord that
they should have been, you still could have obeyed the Word yourself and worked
to make that a strong point in your own life and in your Home. I t wouldn't have
been as easy as following an example that you could see, but you're just as
accountable--you could have done it. The Lord holds you responsible
and accountable for the way things are going in your Home right now. You have
the Word and a connection to the Lord, and you can get the answers and help you
need.
60.2) He wants to make
it very clear that as each Family member takes on more responsibility with the
board structure and the broadening of our Family membership to include other
categories of members who will need shepherding from you, this is the point He
holds you most accountable for. He said, “I want them to realize that they
will be shepherds, and if they fail in this one area, they are failing in
many areas. I want them to see how much responsibility and
accountability rests on this one point. I want them to see how important I
consider this one aspect of their lives. Above all, I require that they take the
time with Me that is necessary, I require that th ey learn to operate more in
the spirit, if they are to be one of My leaders.” (End of message from
Jesus.)
61.That makes it
pretty clear, doesn't it? So, in review, please don't blame the CROs for
your problems. Even though the Lord places some responsibility on them, He
also puts it right back on you by telling you that you've had the Word and you
could have done it too. He holds you accountable for your Home and your personal
life. And secondly, remember how important the Lord considers t his one
point as you grow into being more of a shepherd to the flock the Lord has given
you or will give you, or as you work within the board structure.
The
Starting Point …
62.(Jesus speaking:) The natural tendency of man is to apply
general counsel very mildly, without realizing the full extent that it
applies to himself. That's nothing to be ashamed of; it's natural. The
danger comes if you never realize how much you personally need the counsel,
because then it won't take root in your l ife as it needs to, and you won't
benefit and change as you need to. Without taking time to ask Me and get full
and frequent messages regarding your own human weaknesses and the spiritual
principles for overcoming them that I bring out in My Word, it's not possible to
understand and apply My counsel fully. But when you let the printed Word be your
starting point and you receive My tailor-made messages, and
frequently, then you stay in touch with My detailed instruction for you
on a daily basis. (End of message from Jesus.)
A Feast Set
Before Us!
63.(Mama:)
The Lord wants to give us everything. He's standing there waiting
to give us all the blessings that He can load us up with. He's not asking us to
communicate with Him to be cruel to us, but He's actually giving us a
gift, and all we have to do is take this wonderful, restful sweet time
with Him. It's the best time of the day we could possibly have, and in exchange
we get everything!
64.This next message is very interesting , and a beautiful word picture. You
might notice that most of the foods that the Lord mentions are Western foods.
This was a personal message received by a channel who was raised in the
U.S., and these happen to be some of her favorite foods. But if each of you open
your channel to the Lord as you read this, He can help you substitute the foods
that you crave and enjoy the most, according to where you were raised or
your particular likes and dislikes.
Enjoy!
65.(Jesus
speaking:) Think abou t how you enjoy a good meal. Picture a banquet
table spread with all the things you like the most--and it's an all-you-can-eat
buffet! First there are the salads, with all the little things you like to
put on them, like mushrooms, diced beets, seeds, croutons, and spicy
dressing.
66.Then there are
delicately cooked vegetables with just the right seasoningso they have
flavor and texture: glazed carrots, little peas, squash that melts in your
mouth, green beans with slivered
almonds.
67.Th en picture the
spread of pastas and potatoes--all prepared in a different way, delightful
and tasty. It makes your mouth water to even look at
it.
68.Then for the meat
there's chicken--both fried and cooked in mushroom sauce--both your favorites.
Then there's tender roast beef with nice juicy gravy, and lamb with mint
sauce. There are little slices of salmon, if that's your fancy, or little round
meatballs that taste great with tomato sauce. In fact, it seems that
whatever you want and need appears before your
eyes.
69.Then there's the
all-you-can-eat dessert section! There's your favorite--chocolate cake with
vanilla ice cream, and hot fudge oozing all over it. Or you can have Birne
Helene--pears with chocolate sauce. There are meringue pies, or German
chocolate cake made with coconut and spices, or tiramisu, another one of
your favorites. There are light and heavy desserts--anything you
like!
70.And to drink,
there's a whole table of champagne, or rich red wine, or light w hite,
whatever you like, and rich cappuccino coffee to finish everything
off.
71.Imagine that you're
very hungry--so hungry that you're shaking. Your mouth feels dry, your tummy
has that ache in it, and you really need food. And this is not only food, but
it's the best food you've ever seen! It will not only satiate your appetite, but
it will taste just wonderful and be a real treat to eat. You'll have such an
enjoyable time eating it. It will be a special occasion, and you'll wish
that you could keep eating and eating until you were so full that you passed out
and fell off your chair!
72.But, unfortunately and sadly, what you do when you see this magnificent
spread is refuse to eat it. You turn away and go and sit down in the corner,
your tummy aching with hunger and your mouth watering at the sight and smell of
the food. You say, “Well, it takes too much time to decide what to eat. I don't
know what to choose, and anyway, it will take too long to eat it. It might take
a half- hour, or 45 minutes, or even an hour. And what if, even if I pick what I
think is what I want, it turns out that it doesn't taste like I thought it
would? Oh, it may be good, but it may not be what I expected. And what if I eat
too much, so that I just can't do anything the rest of the evening because I'm
so full and still thinking about the
food?
73.“Or what if I eat it
and eat it and eat it, and then I'm not good for anything else? Or what if
people look at me and say, 'Look at her! She rea lly likes the food! That's
odd!' I don't want people to think I'm odd because I like the
food.
74.“But the main reason
I'm not eating it is because I just don't know what to pick, and it takes too
long to eat it. Sure, I'm hungry, and sure, it looks great, and of course
I'd enjoy it. But it's just too much work. Maybe if someone made me a plate and
brought it to me, I would eat it. But then again, maybe that plate wouldn't be
exactly what I want, and then I'd be disappointed. So because it's too much
work, I'll just sit here.
75.“But it sure does look good! Wow, those are some of my favorites, and those
people sitting over there sure are enjoying their meal. Look at them,
they're eating and drinking and having a great time. They look so full, so
happy, so content. Maybe I should eat and drink some too. But no, it's just too
much work. And maybe I'll pick the wrong thing, or maybe even the good things
won't be what I like or what I expected. So I'll just sit here and let everyone
else enjoy it, and maybe they can tell me what it's like. Maybe I can just enjoy
them telling me about it.”
76.Wouldn't that be ridiculous? Here I prepare wonderful, delicious, tasty,
interesting, enticing and satisfying meals for you--meals that will meet all
your needs--and you don't take the time or the energy or the effort to eat them.
It's really a shame.
77.Won't
you come and try My cooking? Won't you see what I've fixed for you? I have
some delectable surprises! Everyone likes My fo od--at least everyone who's ever
tried it for any length of time! I'm the Master Chef, and My restaurant has all
the best dishes, all the best presentation, the best wine and desserts, the best
atmosphere, and all that you need for a wonderful meal and a wonderful
evening at the dinner table. And I'll even sit down and eat it with you! You'll
have My company and we'll eat and drink and love together. It will be
great--like a very special date. So don't miss it! I want to have a dinner date
with you, and I'll be waiting! Love, your Jesus. (End of message from
Jesus.)
Making Word Time a
Habit
78.(Question:) How can you make your time with the Lord a habit? In
other words, what things can you do to make it part of your schedule so you
never or rarely miss it?
79.(Jesus speaking:) Making your time with Me a habit is something you
need to really strive for. This is a point that I've been repeating for
years. Your Father David often spoke of it, and all the men and women of God b
efore him knew that it was the key to a godly life. They knew it was what would
sustain them. I'm not going to give you all the reasons why it's good, as you
can read about it in countless Letters from David and now Maria to you. You can
also read about it in the testimonies of every truly great man or woman of God.
The fact that it's necessary is not disputed. You know the need for it, so you
ask yourselves why it's so hard to find the time to do
it.
80.One of the reasons is
that you're taki ng Me for granted, and taking advantage of My great love for
you. You know that I'll understand if you miss our time together, and I do.
But that doesn't change the fact that it hurts you every time you miss your time
with Me. Because of that attitude you feel, “It's okay, I can fit in my time
with the Lord any time.” Well, that's true. I don't demand a certain time that
you come to Me, and I'm available to you any time. But with that attitude, it's
easy to let the time slip between your fingers , and then it's the wee hours of
the night and you still haven't spent that essential time with
Me.
81.At that point, you
promise you'll spend time with Me the next day. But the problems just tumble
about you and eat away at your time, to where before you know it, another
day has gone by without your taking that vital time with Me. Whereas if you'd
spent time with Me, I could have prevented the problems or given you advance
warning of them. Instead it gets into a vicious cycle that's hard to break out
of.
82.So what can you do to
make it a habit? First you have to commit to it--you have to believe
that it's the most important thing in your day and that if nothing else gets
done, you will spend time with Me. Believe that it's your most important
accomplishment of the day, so if you aren't able to do anything else, if you've
had your time with Me you'll feel fulfilled and satisfied. Of course, if you're
spending time with Me, then a whole lot of other things will get accomplished a
s well.
83.Now once you've
committed and decided that you'll take that time with Me no matter what, you
need to set a time. The easiest way to go about it is to set a
certain time that you take at the same time every day. But I know that's not
possible for everyone. Many of you have demands that make your schedules vary
from day to day. If that's so, you need to write it on your to-do list for the
day.
84.Now this is a very
precarious situation, as I know many of you put more than is huma nly
possible on your to-do list for each day--and if you're not careful, before
you know it, your time with Me will be bumped. So if you can't do it first thing
in the morning for whatever reason, then you need to schedule a specific time
later in the day. Count it as an appointment just like you would any other
appointment, and if you need to reschedule, then that's fine, as long as you
don't bump it altogether. And if you find at the end of the day you haven't
spent that time with Me that you should have, it would be better to sacrifice a
little sleep to do so than to skip it altogether. Most likely it won't be as
easy as if you'd had it early in the day when you didn't have to fight going to
sleep, but at least it will have taught you a good lesson not to bump it to so
late.
85.Now I'm going to go
over that again, just so you get the point. You've made the
commitment--you've decided you're going to do it every day no matter what
else you do--so now the question is when. If you're the type of person
who needs a lot of sleep and you sleep right up until devotions, or if you need
to be with the kids as soon as they get up, or if there's something else that
stops you from doing it first thing in the morning, then you need to find
another time that's better, like right after devotions before you start your
other work. If that doesn't work out, then try right after lunch, or sometime in
the evening. Whatever time it is, you have to find out what time works for you
and faithfu lly commit to it.
86.You may have to try different times to see what works best. As soon as
you see that some time slot isn't working, stop and pray about another time that
will.
87.You say, “But what
about when I'm traveling and visiting the Homes?” (Mama: Or out on the road,
or having a fundraising push, or filling in with a new childcare group--the list
is endless! Put your current scenario in here!) The first thing you should do in
any new situation is stop and evaluate the things that need to be done, and then
see where your time with Me will fit in best. I know you're busy, and often your
schedule isn't the same each day. But the appointment you have with Me each day
is top priority, so you need to take that into
account.
88.Or you may be
wondering how you can fit it in, seeing you have pressing appointments with the
System and need to be out the door early. If that's the case, then figure
into your schedule that you need to get up earlier in order to fit that time in.
I f that doesn't work for you, then fit the time in at some other time. You know
what times your appointments are, so sit down and write up your schedule,
putting that time with Me in there, and don't pack so many things in that it's
unrealistic. Give yourself wiggle room.
89.As I said before, you can't think, “Oh, I'll just fit it in
sometime.” No, you need to schedule it regularly for a certain time each
day. Or if you don't have a regularly scheduled time, then when you pray about
what you n eed to do [for that day], you need to write it in your schedule as an
appointment and keep it.
90.My loves, I don't need to tell you all the benefits of it, as you know them,
and that was not your question. But I do promise that if you commit to
taking time every single day, no matter what, then I will commit to all the
promises I have ever promised about the benefits and blessings of doing it.
You'll love it. It's only for your good, My sweet loves. (End of message from
Jesus.)
91.(Jesu s
speaking:) My love, the answer is obviously in scheduling. Many times
your queen has suggested that changes be instituted in the Family through
scheduling, such as in praise time, and in the hour-and-a-half quiet time that
everyone must have each day. This was at My suggestion and My leading
initially.
92.The idea of
taking time with Me in the morning is throughout My Word, in the Bible as well
as in the Letters of your David. There are verses like, “Thy voice will I
hear in the morning,” a nd “Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the
morning.” The ideal, if possible, is first thing in the morning. It would be
good to do a study on how the morning time is wonderful for hearing from Me, for
getting yourself on the right channel, for tuning your spirit into My Spirit,
for letting Me direct your thoughts, actions, energies and concentration first
thing.
93.This is a wonderful
time, when the soul is just beginning to stir, fresh and clean and new, and not
yet imprinted with the b usiness and glare of the day. It's a time when the
soul of man is like that of a new baby--without the harsh realities of the
physical world having yet made their mark on it. The soul or spirit of man comes
out of sleep; it's fresh from communion with Me during the night, having loved
Me with another or alone before sleeping, and having communed with Me in the
night seasons. It's ready to receive My Word and My thoughts in a much easier
way than if it were to try to do so during the
day.
94.T here's a readiness
to receive My Word and My Spirit at that time. There's a fresh and untouched
quality about the spirit of man at that time that allows Me to mold and guide it
further.
95.Of course, some
people enjoy their communion with Me at night when no one else is around,
when the house is quiet and when there's not the static of daily activity. So
this is also a good time to tune into Me and My
Spirit.
96.But as your Father
David said, in the busy Homes in which you live, with so mu ch to do, so much
busyness and activity, so many things flying around and so many vibes in the
air, it's wonderful to seek Me early in the morning when nothing else is
happening. There's less interference; there's less in the air that will distract
you or influence or interrupt you when you're hearing from Me and spending time
with Me.
97.“Early” means
different things to different people. But you must be sure to get that time,
whatever it means to you. You must be sure to have that time with Me when
there's nothing else on your mind but tuning in to Me, becoming one with Me in
spirit, and receiving My keynote for the day. Sometimes this keynote may be
short; it may be just a paragraph or a few sentences of instruction, a sort of
“let's see, where are we going and what do we have to do today?” time with Me.
It doesn't always have to be a time of getting major messages, but it can be. I
simply need your ear, your time of tuning in to Me and My Word, and I need your
spirit so that I c an influence it and set it on the right path first
off.
98.So the question is,
how can this become a habit--either early, or first thing in the morning, or
later in the day? I realize that not everyone can get their Word time first
thing in the morning consistently. Some have children. Some have pressing
business that has to be started first thing. Some have other duties that begin
right away.
99.Yes, it comes
back to the same thing--scheduling. If you don't schedule it, it often won't hap
pen. Until it becomes a habit, and until you're so sure of it that you don't
have to schedule it, then you must make a time each day for hearing from Me and
for delving into My Word. Even hearing from Me each day is not enough if you
don't also spend time taking in My written Word. This will provide ballast,
strengthening, and will help to fill you up and nourish you when you feel
spent from the battle or the hard work that's before you each
day.
100.So, My dears, be
sure to schedule it. Eve n those who are in the habit of daily Word time
need it to be scheduled so that it's not encroached upon by others. People need
to know that there's an inviolable time that is not to be invaded by anyone or
anything, and that is the time with Me.
101.Of course, people know of the importance of it, yet many
don't want to slow down enough for it. The secret is to do it even before
the day gets going.
102.Some
also think of Word time or time with Me in prayer and prophecy as pertaining
only to spiritual matters. But if they will bring their business dealings,
practical matters, and all the specifics to Me for Me to comment on and help
them with during their prayer and prophecy time, they'll see that I'm vitally
involved in all areas of their lives and service for Me. I'll give them good,
simple, easy-to-enact answers that will make their tasks so much easier. So in
giving Me this time, they'll find that their business relations flow and that
I'll do miracles in the practical realm as well as in the
spiritual.
103.I love to talk
about Word time and about time with Me, because I can see the great joy
and happiness and easing of the load that it will bring to My children when they
take this time. I love My children, and love to spend time with them. So
when I think that these instructions will cause them to spend more time with Me,
I rejoice and look forward to these sweet, precious, priceless hours ahead with
My dear ones. I love them so, so much, and cry over My love fo r them. I weep
with joy for how much I love them. I take the heart of each one in My hands and
kiss it, and cherish it, and handle it with such gentleness and tenderness. I so
look forward to a time when I can tell each one how I love them, how I honor
them, how I'm pleased with their faithfulness, and how I can help them in their
tasks.
104.So please, please
tell them to take the time with Me, so that I can shower My love on them and so
that we can be one--I and My precious, wonderful brides , the loves of My
life, My eternal loves. I love all of you so much, and long to be with you, and
look forward with great joy and anticipation to the time we have before us
together in the spirit. (End of message from
Jesus.)
105.(Jesus
speaking:) You can make it known when you have your time with Me. You
can let others know, and this will help you to be sure to do it then, and it
will also make it plain so that others will not
interrupt.
106.You can be in
a place where outside distracti ons don't interfere, such as in a quiet room.
You can put a “do not disturb” sign on the door. You can set up times when
you check your mail, and not do it during your prayer and prophecy time and
special time with Me.
107.You
can write down a plan for the day, after getting it from Me,in your
agenda, diary, or notebook, and then stick to that time that I've told you
would be the time for hearing from Me, having Word time, and spending time with
Me.
108.You can have prayer
that Word time will become a habit and that you won't miss it, that you'll crave
it and give it priority. As you bring these things before Me and ask Me to
do them, especially publicly, you'll find that the habit will become ingrained
and you won't miss it--because I will perform it and will do it for you, others
will help as well, and you yourself will really try. All these efforts combined
will make the habit a reality. (End of message from
Jesus.)
109.(Mama:) Naturally, if you take time to ask the Lord personally, the
details regarding how you can make sure you get your Word time or the tips He
can give you might be different. If your ministry is the care of the
children, for instance, or a full-time outreach ministry, the Lord might have
other guidelines or safeguards to give you that would be more applicable to your
situation. Maybe He would tell you to get up a few minutes before the children
in order to have some moments of quiet with Him. Or maybe He could give you
ideas about how to hel p the children learn these same habits of taking quiet
time, and it could be something you work on together. Maybe He would tell you to
schedule a break in your outreach day for a little time of communion with Him,
rather than waiting until you come home and are tired from a long day out to try
and get some extra Word time. In each and every situation, the Lord has a
solution! He loves you and wants that time with you--not only because He enjoys
it, but because He knows it will make you happy an d make your life
easier!
110.(Jesus speaking:) I love them that love Me, and they that seek Me
early shall find Me. That's the key, My loves--to seek Me early before your
day begins. You must put Me first in your day before anything else, and this
will be the secret of your success of making time with Me a part of your
schedule, never to be missed.
111.You know that if you don't do this, it's rare that you will stop
again later in the day to take quality time with Me. Of course, you do c
heck in with Me throughout the day, but I'm talking about quality time--loving
Me, hearing My plan for your day, taking in My Words and sucking My seeds,
communing with Me in the bed of love.
112.In most cases, in order to make this work, you must do this
first, before you do anything else. Each of you should come to Me and ask Me
for specifics on how to implement this counsel in your life and
situation.
113.For example,
in some cases I might tell you that one way to accomplish this is to make it an
inviolable rule not to turn on your computer before you've had your time with
Me. Once the computer is on and the mail rolls in, for some people there's
too much temptation to be dragged into this business or that, and then it's
difficult for you to stop and be with Me. You know that's
true.
114.In that case, the
solution is simple--you must take your time with Me before you turn on
your computer. Let Me turn you on first, and you turn Me on,
and let's have our love feast in the mo rning, in the quiet, before the day
begins. Once we're satisfied, and you've poured out your heart to Me, and I've
poured My love and words into you, then it will be time to enter into the wings
and go about your duties of the Kingdom.
115.I know you love Me and seek to please Me in all that you do.
And this will be the thing that will please Me the most and thrill Me the most,
and make the biggest change for good in your life--to put Me first in your
day.
116.Rise up early in the
day, as I did, when I walked upon the Earth with My disciples. I had to have
time alone with My Father to receive the strength I needed for My mission, and
the same is true of you. You need My strength to accomplish all that is before
you, and you can receive this strength in the morning hours, when the dew is
still upon the roses, when you walk with Me and talk with Me in the garden of My
love.
117.My solutions are
simple, and I will give them to each of you as you seek Me. What works for
one person may not work for another, but I have a solution for each of you,
because I love My time with you and I will not go without it. I will take care
of everything else while you're spending time loving Me. That's a
promise.
118.I love you, and
I look forward to having more time than ever with you in the garden of our love.
(End of message from
Jesus.)
119.(Jesus
speaking:) Schedule it into your day and do your best to not let it be
pushed out. Having your time with Me first is usually the s urest way for
you to make sure that it gets done. If you leave hearing from Me till last, it
will most surely be pushed out of your day by other seemingly more pressing
matters. So schedule it first thing in the
morning.
120.You could get
someone to help you, to remind you about hearing from Me. You could ask your
friends and co-workers to help check you, and thus help you to form the habit of
taking personal time with Me each day.
121.Another idea is to make yourself a chart, where each d ay you
check it off once you've taken your time in the bed of love with Me, once you've
taken your time in personal communion and hearing from Me. Then you can look
back and see how you're doing and what you've done to make progress in taking
this time with Me daily.
122.Besides the quiet time that we must spend together each day in the bed of
love, remember that you can and should be hearing from Me all the time. So
if you're not sleeping or unconscious, then you can hear from Me all the tim e,
anywhere, while doing anything! If your antenna is always pointed up to Me, then
you can constantly be hearing My words of encouragement, help, guidance,
instruction, love, faith, and much, much more! I long to speak to you every
moment of the day, and I know that if you do everything you possibly can to make
hearing from Me a habit, then we'll grow closer together as
one.
123.A bride and
bridegroom long for each other at every moment of the day. They don't only
look at each other and spea k to each other while they're in the solitude and
quietness of the bedchamber, but they show love and speak with each other all
throughout the day. That's how I wish to be with you. You just need to learn to
make this a habit.
124.Seek
Me for tailor-made ways that will work the best for you. Also, try out these
suggestions that I've given you, and if one thing doesn't work, go on to the
next. If taking daily, personal time to hear from Me and love Me is not yet a
habit in your life, then you should do all you possibly can to make it a habit
now, immediately, as it's of great importance. I will help you and make it as
easy for you as I can. (End of message from Jesus.)
Staying
Free of Distractions
125.(Jesus speaking:) The Enemy really hates My Word and seeks to distract
you in any way he can. I can give you a few general tips, but often you will
just need to come to Me to find out what works for you, as even your personality
has a lot to do with how to fight distractions. But I will show you what to
do.
126.One of the first
things to do in overcoming distractions is to realize that you're being
distracted! Often you let your mind wander and you don't even realize
that you're being distracted. But if you realize that this is a problem and a
tactic of the Old Boy, then you can take a stand against
it.
127. Prayer is a great factor in
overcoming any distractions. Commit your heart and mind to Me and pray
against any and all distractions before starting to read.
128.Another thing is to have
pen or pencil in hand, marking your reading material,writing down
questions, underlining portions, etc. Write down or dictate little messages
from Me that I whisper to you as you read. Often I will make a passage stand out
to you that I want to speak to you about on the
spot.
129.If you find you've
been distracted by a fleeting thought, big or small, if you write it down on
a piece of paper and commit it to Me, then you won't need to think about it
until later. If you don't write it down, you'll tend to think about it over and
over so that you don't forget it, and this can cause you to be anxious and
nervous and want to finish your Word time
prematurely.
130.If you
notice your mind has wandered, reread a line or two, or a whole paragraph if
you have to.
131.If it's your
physical surroundings that are distracting you, then you can see if the
problem can be remedied. But sometimes you'll just have to block it out,
which you can mentally do if you ask for My help to rise
above.
132.Well, those are
just a few tips. The Enemy's distractions are many and varied, so please ask
Me for specific counsel for your needs, because what may distract you might not
distract the next person, and vice versa. I hold the key to overcoming
distractions in every situation. (End of message from
Jesus.)
Absorbing the
Word
133.(Jesus
speaking:) It takes stirring yourself up daily to keep a desire and hunger
for the Word.
-- It takes consistency
and a good schedule.
-- It takes prayer,
when you feel yourself slipping. It takes the help of mates, shepherds or loved
ones to help keep you on the straight and narrow when it comes to your daily
Word time.
-- It takes praying and asking
Me to help you with reading lists and ideas on when and where to take your Word
time.
-- It takes asking Me to give you
the conviction you need to make sure you get a daily feeding and infilling of My
Word.
-- It takes getting united prayer,
if need be, for hel p and guidance and a hunger for that time with
Me.
134. It's important that you
do what works for you. If you find your Word time boring, monotonous,
or you're not getting a good, solid feeding, then the first step is to pray and
ask Me what you should do. What works for one person may not work for another.
Find out what works for you, and then stick with
it.
135.Try something for a
while, and if it doesn't seem to be doing the trick, then pray and ask Me to
show you what you can do diffe rently, how you can change. Maybe you need a
change in where you take your Word time, or maybe you need more variety in the
types of things you read. Maybe you need to change the time of day when you get
in the Word. Some people thrive on continuity and habit; others like variety and
a change of pace and scenery.
136.So much has been said and written about the importance of a good,
daily feeding of My Word. You just can't operate without it! If you're
finding you don't even have the gumption to make the effort to pray about it,
then ask someone else to help you and pray with you. Brainstorm ideas and ways
to make your times with Me exciting and
fulfilling.
137.Most of all,
ask Me to give you a conviction about it in your heart regarding its importance
in your life, and motivation to follow through on what I show
you.
138.You need to develop
these skills and habits now, for in the days to come those who are not
strong in the area of feeding on My Word will find themselves in se rious
trouble when the winds of adversity blow. The days continue to grow dark and the
night will soon be upon them. Without the power and light of My Word to lead the
way, they will fall by the wayside and
perish.
139.I say this not to
frighten you, My children, but to warn you that you need to develop these good
habits now while you have time. Ask Me to ingrain them into the very fiber
of your being, so that when the time comes and the storms blow, your house will
be well built and firmly a nchored to the rock of My Word, and not poorly built,
with little foundation or firmness. (End of message from
Jesus.)
The Parallel of the Mountain
And Restful Time With the
Lord
140.(Jesus
speaking:) Picture yourself crossing a rugged, icyrange of
mountains. This is no easy beginner's trail, but it's steep and rocky, and
it's snowing. As you look around you, you see the fir trees laden with snow,
their branches bent with the weight of it. Your path is not marked because of
the snow, so you have to go by sight and by prayer, to be sure that you don't
fall into a crevasse or gully. You look up at the sky and find it gray and
bleak. In fact, there's such a cloud cover and so much snow falling, you can't
see the sky.
141.You trudge
onward, knowing that the hardest is yet to come. There will be more steep
grades, less visibility. You'll come to the truly hard parts where you must use
your climbing equipment to be able to even hold on to the mountain. You aren't
to that part yet , but you know it's ahead. Even now it takes every ounce of
your strength to press onward. Your muscles are aching and your face stings with
the cold. Little beads of tears that have escaped the corners of your eyes
freeze on your cheeks. Your hands feel numb, yet you forge
onward.
142.You have great
courage, great tenacity, great determination, so you don't let all these
obstacles hold you back. You're determined to make it to your destination,
and this desire and tremendous compulsion you feel inside eggs you
on.
143.Still, your strength
is waning. You have the advantage of the intense motivation you feel inside,
but even so, your spirit and body and abilities are all stretched to the limit.
You know that the hardest part is yet to come, and so deep inside, you wonder if
you can make it.
144.And
what's worse, you're alone. You're not traveling with a guide who has been
that way before. Others are depending on you to forge the way, to scout out the
difficulties, to find out how to get there so that they can follow. Once you've
done that, you yourself can be the guide, but right now there's no one, no
person to show you--only God.
145.Right at that point, through the trees you see a glimmer of
light. Then as you proceed, the forest parts and there's an inn, a type of
way station for travelers, a mountain lodge. It looks so warm, so inviting.
Probably hot chocolate will be served inside, or tea with brandy, or some other
warm and invigorating drink. It looks like a fire is burning in the fireplace,
as its flicker and gleam appears through a break in the curtains at the window.
You can hear people laughing inside, and see them eating and drinking. They
don't even have their jackets on--they're so warm and cozy
inside.
146.There's smoke
coming from the chimney, and the building, built like a log cabin with a
steep overhang to the roof, is like an island of warmth, cheer, and
encouragement in the middle of the snowstorm, the dark trees, and the forbiddi
ng mountain path.
147.You
pause for a moment. You see those inside who are so warm and who are getting
strengthened and rested for the rest of the journey, or maybe they're even
finding out how to make it. Perhaps they, like you, haven't been there before.
Maybe there are guides inside who have been that way and who will tell them the
best way to go, the pitfalls and dangerous spots to avoid, the safest and most
efficient route.
148.There's
also food inside--good, hearty, nourishing food-- something that you can
hardly imagine, because you've been hungry for so long that you can hardly even
remember what it feels like to have a warm meal. You've just been eating your
trail snacks along the way because you didn't want to stop for long, and anyway,
there wasn't a spot to do so.
149.But here it is--a nice, warm, inviting place that has been put
there for travelers just like you. It looks like there are even small
bedrooms at the back of the lodge, so that you could go in and rest if you
needed to. The place has everything a traveler needs to continue the
journey.
150.Yet as you
survey this lovely lodge with all that it offers, you decide to keep going.
You don't want to stop. You've got your momentum up, you feel, and you don't
want to break your stride. Sure, you're aching with tiredness, your tummy is
hurting for food, and your extremities are numb and stinging with cold. But
stop? “That's for wimps,” you think. You can make it. You don't need to have a
stop for res t and nourishment and strengthening. You'd rather keep on
going and see if you can find your way yourself. “Sure, there are guides in
there, but wouldn't it be better if I find my own way? Wouldn't I get a little
more glory that way, or a little more
credit?”
151.A little voice
inside says, “But what if you don't make it? What if you take the wrong path or
you don't have the strength to continue?” But you ignore this voice, as well
as the urge of almost everything that is in you to stop and get all your needs
met in that lodge. You feel the pull of the companionship inside too--the
chance to compare notes with fellow travelers, to draw encouragement from them
and learn from them. You feel that they could give you tips and lessons and
how-tos that they've learned. But instead of stopping, you press on into the
murky snowstorm, the dark forest, through the bleak and menacing mountains. You
feel it's better to go it alone with only the compulsion you have inside of you
driving you. And that's the last you're seen or heard
from.
152.That's what so many
of you do when you don't stop for Word time, for strengthening time with Me.
I'm giving you everything you need to make a difficult and perilous journey, and
the means by which I'm giving it to you is inviting, entertaining, and
enjoyable. Yet so many of you prefer to make the journey without these
refreshing and enjoyable stops along the way. If you made them, you'd find
fellowship with Me in My Word and in prayer. You'd find spirit helpers who know
the way and could help you with their advice. You'd find strength to your soul,
rest to your spirit, and encouragement for your heart. You'd be able to make the
journey with all the resources that I have for
you.
153.But so many want to
go it alone--partly out of pride, partly because they don't want to admit
that they're not sufficient in themselves, that they need My help and the help
of My Word, My helpers, My personal Words to them, My love that I can put in t
heir hearts. So they trudge on, and oh, the way is so hard, so
difficult!
154.I can't take
away the difficulty of the path, but I can make your journey much easier.
These enjoyable stops in My Word along the way will make the journey a joy,
because you'll have the strength to meet each challenge. So stop in at My
Word-Lodge, won't you? Won't you have a cup of comfort with Me? Won't you have a
chat with a spirit helper who can give you some tips? Won't you have a rest in
one of My big comfy be ds with eiderdown covers and soft, squishy pillows? And
won't you warm yourself by the fireplace of My
Word?
155.Let all that I have
be your help and comfort, and it will make your journey through life much
easier. The challenges are there, but the wise man will do all he can to
prepare for them, and avail himself of all the resources that will make the
journey possible and successful.
156.Then you will complete your journey and reach the final
mountaintop, and you and I together will rej oice at the beautiful view!
We'll drink from the mountain streams, pick some of the flowers that only grow
on the mountaintop, and return to tell others how they can get there
too.
157.I love you! I'll see
you at the Lodge! Love, your Mountain Guide, Jesus. (End of message
from Jesus.)
The Day of No
Impossibilities
158.(Mama:) And here's a little encouragement for you from our sweet
Husband about how you can make this a reality in your
life.
159.(Jesus
speaking:) My beloved ones, you've heard My Words, you know they are
truth, and you know that without Me you can do nothing. You want to take the
necessary time with Me; you want to become men and women filled with My Spirit
who can command Me to do anything for you. But you fear, thinking of all the
times you've tried to make this a reality in your life, and have not succeeded.
The Enemy is there to condemn you, to tell you that it can't be done, that
there's no way you can really attain to this consistent closeness and d
ependence upon Me.
160.My
loves, I want you to remember that this is the day of no impossibilities. I
can and will change you, if you want Me to and cry out to Me. I stand on My
Word; I do not lie. I can help you to overcome this seeming mountain of
impossibility, if you want to change and you allow Me to work in your life and
do whatever is necessary to help you change. This is a great commitment on your
part. But when you compare the measure of the sacrifice to the measure of the
miracles t hat I can do, and the great results that will come about in your
life, in your Home, and the Family in general if you make progress in this area,
it is a very small sacrifice by comparison. No one is strong enough in
themselves to make this change. It has to be a teamwork effort--you opening
yourself up completely to Me, and My then working the miracle in your life that
you cannot do on your own.
161.If you want to be sure that I will help you, that you will change in this
area, if you want i t badly enough that you're willing to do anything for it,
pray and tell Me so. Tell Me that above all, you want to become a man or
woman of prayer and power in My Spirit. Tell Me that you're tired of trying to
do things on your own and work things out in your own strength, and you want to
live in the strength of this new day, the day of no impossibilities. You want to
fully partake of all that the era of action can give you--you want to be a part
of the great wave of power and anointing that I h ave unleashed. Confess that
you need Me to change you, and that you can't do it on your own. And give Me
leave to do whatever is needed to bring about those changes in your
life.
162.That, My loves, is
an offer that I cannot refuse! I will work in your life. I will bring about
the changes that are needed. I will do what you cannot do. And you will become a
man or woman of power in My Spirit that I have ordained for you to be. It's
possible for anyone, with My help. This is the way that the Fa mily will truly
become the leaders of the End, shining lights to the world. You do shine now,
but I wish for you to shine even brighter, and that will be a natural
result of the changes that each of you make in this area. The people that do
know their God shall be strong!
163.
Then, once you have opened yourselves up to Me with that desperate prayer, I
will step in and will help you to start changing. Of course, you must put
forth the effort of obedience. You must ask Me where to start in your own
personal life, and then follow the instructions I give you. The Enemy will fight
you hard, for he knows this is the key to your success. But if you persevere,
you will overcome! You will rise above the mountains of obstacles he puts in
your way. And I will do the miracles that you cannot do. The victory is sure, My
loves, if you follow these steps. Put Me to the test! I cannot and will not
fail! I love you! (End of message from Jesus.)