36. As you know, in "The Dangers of Division" the Lord explained that where division exists, everyone who has anything to do with it is guilty, regardless of the details. When you're actively rooting out the Selvegion in your Home and lives, it's not the time to try to sort out the blame but rather to forgive. I know this is true, and I believe that through forgiving and asking for forgiveness, the Lord will lead those who have been divided to the blessing of restored unity.

37. But a question has come up about how you can be united with people who are not dedicated, not on the same wavelength. Two of the COs commented:

* * *

44. (Mama:) In "The Dangers of Division," the Lord has asked you to overcome your division almost immediately. The exposure of the evil Selvegion and getting rid of them will make a huge difference in spirit. I fully expect that people will apologize and get right with each other at the worldwide prayer and fast day, if not sooner. But questions still come up about what to do when there is a very big difference in standard. And there will be situations where there will still be people in our Homes that really shouldn't be CM or in the Family at all. The Lord indicated that this purging will take some time, and in some cases the Lord may have to take matters into His Own hands, which indicates it won't necessarily be quick. So there will be situations where there are people in Homes who aren't disciples living with people who are trying to be 100%ers. That brings up the question, "How can two walk together except they be agreed?"

45. As one of the COs said, isn't it a prerequisite for lasting unity that everyone actually wants to do the Lord's highest will? Yes, of course it is, but what about the situations where there are some who don't want the Lord's highest will, who are compromising and not progress­ing? Of course, we hope for the best in the months to come, but what we don't want to see happen is people lowering their standards to be in unity with people who are compromising and not fully dedicated--all for the sake of "unity." That's not the purpose. We do need unity, obviously, but not at the expense of compromise!

46. I asked the Lord what, practically speaking, He expects people to do. What are the steps you should take when you see that you're not in unity or you've lost the unity you initially gained after the prayer and fast day, because people in your Home or areas have different standards? How can that be overcome? What is the solution? How can unity be maintained if there is a difference in standards? Here is the Lord's counsel on these questions.

Don't Run Away from Disunity

--Change Things!

47. (Jesus speaking:) The complete unity that I seek among My Family is unity between those who are of like mind, like heart, and like spirit, in the sense that they are committed to Me and to serving Me in this Family. I do not expect nor seek for complete uniting of minds and hearts between those who are dedicated and those who are compromised, though I do expect there to still be love between them. It is not poss­ible to have total unity between a Family member who is wholehearted and committed and a Family member who is halfhearted and compromised and on his way out. Those who are compromised are causing disunity by the very act of compromising.

48. To begin with, I had to give the message I gave about unity and tell everyone that if there is any disunity, all involved are at fault. This is true. This is the case now and it is where the Family stands now. At the time of issuing the major warning to the Family in "The Dangers of Division" I had to tell everyone that if there is any disunity, all involved are at fault. I had to get the Family away from the mentality of placing blame. I had to make it clear that no one can hold on to bitterness, resent­ment, hatred, or even dislike for another Family member. No matter what others have done wrong, these vile feelings, attitudes and words that have been tearing down the unity of the Family must stop. You had to rid yourselves of the evil Selvegion! I had to make it clear that that was the first step, the call to unity.

49. The next step toward unity is that all those who have been compromising need to get on board and start working on their weak ­areas and ridding their lives of these compromises. I don't expect overnight perfection, but I do expect overnight desperation and taking action. Action may be small steps or relatively slow progress at times, but it must be motion in the right direction, movement toward the goals I have outlined and the standard I have clearly set.

50. Once forgiveness has been given, once commitments to unity have been made, that unity must be kept by everyone striving together toward the same goal. Everyone must refresh and renew their own spirits daily with the commitment to discipleship if unity is to be maintained. If someone is not committed, or is not striving toward the goals of greater dedication and purity of heart and spirit and Home, then that person is guilty of sowing division.

51. In saying that, I would also warn those of you who have been guilty of sowing division through self-righteousness or criticalness to be on guard. For the evil Selvegion, having been cast out, will still seek a way to enter your ranks again. If you are faced with co-workers and Home members who are compromising, and through this compromise weaken­ing your unity, remember that two wrongs do not make a right. Two forms of division do not bring unity. Your becoming angry, resentful and critical will only bring in more division and destroy what you have been building. As I said earlier, though it is not possible to walk in complete unity unless all are striving for the same goal, it is still poss­ible to walk in love, to have My love and concern for each person, each individual.

52. I do not expect you who are dedicated to compromise your convictions for the sake of being in "unity" with those who are not striving to be committed to Me nor striving to minimize ungodly influences in their lives. This would be wrong, and in fact I expect the opposite--that you will all encourage and lift each other up, spurring each other on to greater commitment and conviction, so that you can walk in unity, all walking the same direction, the path of discipleship. Nevertheless, I expect you to be able to see with My eyes, to separate the "sin" from the "sinner," and to correct the behavior of those who are compromised, and even make a motion for their moving on from your ranks, if necessary--but to do this with love and tenderness, not with bitterness, envy, resentment, or a critical spirit. This is a tall order, I know, but this is what I expect. This is part of the unity and love amongst the brethren that I call for.

53. In the past there has often been division be­cause of different "standards." Some have stand­ards that are too low, and others have standards that are too high. Now the standard of full-time discipleship has been clarified in the "Conviction vs. Compromise" series. That standard must be upheld if you are to remain in the CM Family. Of course, personal choices will still need to be made as you are faced with your own set of circumstances, conditions and needs, but now you have the clearer guidelines which I have set in My Word, and a greater understanding of the true spirit of dedication and discipleship which I am calling for.

54. If someone is demanding a higher standard than that of the Word, and has a harsh and self-righteous spirit, then that person is guilty of sowing disunity and must repent and change. If someone is failing to fulfill the requirements for disciple­ship, is not committed to Me and is not living the Word, then that person is likewise guilty of disunity. In that case, the disunity must be corrected by the person either changing his ways or changing his status.

55. The method that has been used in the past of splitting a Home or moving to another Home be­cause of differences is not a solution to disunity. If disunity is a matter of personal differences, or people needing some correction to help them live up to the standard, this should be sorted out within the Home. If disunity is a matter of people lacking overall commit­ment and not belonging in the CM Family, then shepherd­ing should be given, by the Home and/or area officers, so that the people involved can either be given the help to change or to move to the level of member­ship that better fits their lifestyle. The day of escapism, of trying to solve problems by running away from them--which is compromise in a big way--is over. That is not the solution to internal discord and division. The problems must be fixed and attended to--not run away from or swept under the carpet.

56. This is part of the call to greater conviction: that when you see something that is amiss, that is not in line with My Word, that you go on the attack to remedy the problem and change things. Moving to another Home or send­ing others in your Home off to some other Home is NOT, and I repeat, NOT the key to solving dis­unity. Because either you or they or both will take your divisive, independent spirits elsewhere, and continue to promote either a low compromised stand­ard or a self-righteous and critical spirit, wherever you go, further polluting ­others in the Family. These things must not be given place. Disunity must not be run away from. Don't cower and tremble in the face of the ­attacks of Satan and his Selvegion, but stand up to them, resist them, and cast them out! (End of message from Jesus.)

57. (Mama:) In the above message, the Lord repeats His warning that (at the time this mess­age was given, before the worldwide prayer and fast day) if there is disunity, all are guilty. His "starting point" instruction was that every person who is involved in disunity is wrong and needs to get right with Him and others. That's the first step. You know that. You read it in "The Dangers of Division."

58. The Lord brought out, however, that the next step toward unity is that everyone who has been compromising needs to work on their weak areas and rid their lives of the compromises. Having a day of prayer and fasting, of forgiving and asking for forgiveness, is only the beginning. Then the Lord expects you to change your life. There must be action, desperation, genuine yieldedness to the Lord, and a desire to get rid of the compromises that have been exposed in the Letters. You can't just pray, fast, go through the motions, and then continue living as you have been. That won't cut it! You have to change, meaning work to overcome the compromises in your life.

59. True lasting unity of spirit can only be found if everyone is committed to the Lord and the Family. The idea is not that those who are dedicated must try to be "in unity" with those who are compromising, disobedient, rebellious, and on their way out of the Family. That's not possible. Two cannot walk together except they agree. The idea is not that those who are committed should become less committed so they can live in unity and peace with those who are halfhearted and compromised!

60. If you're compromising the standard, you're causing disunity. Just the fact that you're compro­mising makes you guilty of fostering division, because the whole point is that we will all unite around obedience to the standard of the Word. That's where our unity comes from--living the Word. It's not a matter of figuring out in your own minds what you think is right and deciding what you'll tolerate according to what seems good to each individual. The Word is what sets the standard--the "Conviction versus Com­pro­mise" series, the other GNs, and the Charter, which are all based on the Lord's call to discipleship.

61. It's important that you really get this point, because we're not looking for a unity that comes with people just figuring out in their own minds or amongst themselves what they think is right so they can decide to live the same way and find some kind of so-called "unity." That is a counterfeit! The guideline for what's right, also known as the standard, has already been decided. It's in the Word. It's not negotiable. You do not have the right to unite around some other standard, whatever you happen to think is better or more comfortable or seemingly more convenient or appropriate for your situation.

62. If you or people in your Home continue to compromise, you will not find the lasting unity you seek, and you will lose the Lord's blessing. You might be able to restore unity temporarily through forgiving, asking for forgiveness and starting fresh. But if the cause of the disunity--which is often compromise--is not rooted out for good, then the division will eventually return.

63. If people continue to compromise, they should be shepherded. If they refuse to change, they should be encouraged to move to a different level of service and be helped along their way. This is a key point. Unity is not found in compromising with the compromisers; it's found in getting the compromisers out of the CM Family if they refuse to change, so that the CM Family can be strong and united, with no weak or broken links in our chain of unity.

64. Special care should be taken that you who have a tendency to be self-righteous or critical do not cause division through those wrong attitudes and lack of love. If you react self-right­eously, critically, or in anger or resentment, then you are also guilty of sowing division, because that kind of treatment of others causes them to feel unloved and ostracized, and even to rebel. It won't encourage them or give them hope or the help, faith, prayer and support they need to move closer to the truth, but will only result in provoking them to want to go further in the wrong direction. Beware of giving the Selvegion entrance through your own sins! They will look for a way back into your fellowship, but don't let them in!

65. Running away from problems or choosing to live on your own to avoid hassles is no solution to disunity. In fact, running away like that is a form of compromise. Instead, you need to face the situation, ask the Lord for His help, look to His Word, counsel, and then fix the problems! If you have differences or conflicts in your Home, you need to work it out in your Home. If people in your Home are not committed and refuse to be shepherded and change, then those individuals should move to the level in the Family that better reflects their personal commitment. If you want your Home to be united and free of compromise, don't just coexist with those who continue to compromise. If you do, you're apt to suffer for their sins, because you didn't obey.

66. Face the problems with division that will come up in the future and find solutions! Don't give place again to the Enemy and the evil Selvegion!

By Maria Maria #615 CM/FM 3403 2/02

Let Me rewrite history for you

Stay clean

Repair the wounds

Get those specific instructions

Getting rid of the old wax

Keep your garden pure

Delete the "lying vanity" files

Train to recognize the attacks of Selvegion

Stop the gossip

Dearest Family,

1. We are so thankful to our wonderful Husband for His exposure of the Selvegion that were threatening to ruin us, and that He gave us an opportunity for deliverance. However, true to the Enemy's nature, he doesn't give up after a one-time defeat. The Lord has confirmed that the Selvegion are continuing to look for ways to reenter our midst. Following are just a few excerpts on how the Selvegion find entrance, and how to stay free of them, compiled from personal prophecies that you have sent in.

2. Like the other evil forces of the spirit world, the Selvegion look for a weak spot to enter. They study their prey; they watch you and wait for the time when you're weak. So please be faithful to ask our Deliverer and great Shepherd for His personal counsel as to how you can best keep your guard up against them. Ask Him to expose any weak areas in your life so that you can work on fortifying them, before the Selvegion have a chance to reenter and do more damage. As you call on the power of the keys and sincerely request the Lord's help to keep you on track and strong in spirit, He will.

3. God bless and keep us all united in Him. It's the only way we'll have His full blessings and be equipped to handle the days ahead.

With love and desperate prayers,

Mama

4. (Jesus speaking:) Those horrible pests don't wait for an open invitation. They are constantly pecking, biting, gnawing, and trying to find entrance. They live to pester My children, and they try to divide them and eat them up. So deliverance from them is not a one-time deal. It's something that you have to be continually on guard against and praying against, and doing your part to keep your spiritual defenses strong.

5. The way they entered your life was through sensitivity. When you feel hurt by someone, you often brush it off, but don't really forgive and forget. Then, the next time it comes up, it becomes a little bigger deal. With some of those that you've been living with for a long time and have quite a bit of history with, it's become more serious, to the point where it doesn't take much to make you feel sensitive, offended, unloved, or upset.

6. What you need to do is wipe the slate clean. With some of those that you have some "negative history" with, you've hurt them and they've hurt you, and even though things are pretty much okay most of the time, it doesn't take much for you to feel hurt or sensitive or upset about things, if even a small misunderstanding or something happens between you. The solution is not to delve into the past and try to rehash things, but to simply apologize and start again. As you pray against the evil Selvegion, I will deliver you, the wounds will heal, and you will have a clean start.

7. It's important to keep asking for My cleansing and not let things build up with anyone. I know that you feel it's sometimes hard to avoid‚ because so much that happened in the past is often unclear or easy to misunderstand, and it's even more painful to talk about it. So often everyone just tries to pretend that everything is okay. But that's not the solution.

8. If it's something that's not possible to talk about and sort out, then at least you have to bring it to Me, get My Words on the subject, and then stand on those Words every time the Enemy brings the subject up or it's brought to your mind for any reason. In so doing, you cleanse and renew your mind with My Words, constantly reminding yourself of what I've said, and you can actually "rewrite history" in your memories, choosing to instead remember things as I have said they were, rather than how you felt hurt or remembering it from your perspective, which is very often inaccurate.

9. As you hear from Me, let Me wash you clean. You can go on to have sweet, mature, unhindered friendships and working relationships if you will each let the past go and let Me give you a new start. Trust that your mates and co-workers want it also, proceed in faith, and watch Me do the miracle.

10. And from now on, don't let things build up. If you feel awkward or hurt by someone, ask Me about it, and let Me help you see things as I see them. Then go on to remember them as I have told you they were, and it will keep this from happening again. (End of message from Jesus.)

11. (Jesus speaking:) The Selvegion have been trying to enter your life through the mind‚ through tempting you with critical thoughts of others. Overall, you aren't so critical of people, and you understand that everyone has weaknesses and there are causes for these things, but in personal matters that have affected you‚ the Enemy has had more chance to get in. Since you've been so immersed in your personal situation, the Enemy has tried, and succeeded at times, in slipping in one of his imps, and then working to destroy you from the inside.

12. I've given you deliverance and you've cleared the Selvegion out of your life. But you must fight to remain clean by yielding to Me and resisting the Enemy's lies and negative attitudes. Having a cleansing prayer will be a boost to you and a safeguard in this area. (End of message from Jesus.)

13. (Jesus speaking:) Back in the days of your middle teens, you had a lot of problems with the so-called "generation gap." It was you teens against the adults, and the conflicts and problems that arose in those times were the work of the Selvegion.

14. I bring this up to let you know that you have had them on you‚ you have heard their lies, you have had their attacks, and they have sunk their teeth into you. I am your Protector, and as you yielded certain parts of your heart to Me, I came in, and eventually I chased all of them out of your body and outside your protective shield. That meant that you were out of immediate danger--but there is still always the matter of the repair of your heart and insides of the damage that was done.

15. The Selvegion do not flee forever; they wait outside like lions around a campfire--testing, trying, poking, and prodding to see if your shield is down or is weakening. They can tell when it's getting shaky. When you do things that damage your unity, such as gossip, or when you harbor unkind thoughts about your brethren, or when you're negative or rebellious, they see the shield about you lose its power somewhat‚ and they make attacks against it.

16. With My help over the years, for the most part you have kept a positive, united spirit. Or in the times you didn't, you at least wanted to try for that goal‚ and you haven't been given over to disunity‚ bitterness, and infighting; thus, the Selvegion have not had a hold on you. Nevertheless, their influence is strong and you must see them for who they are. You must recognize the negative input of division and divisive thoughts and comments as their handiwork. You must connect the little twinges of negativity toward your brethren to the end result of the dead and dying corpses, the victims of the Selvegion. It's all the same cancer--just in a more advanced state in the end.

17. When you lower your shield for one reason or another, or weaken it through unyieldedness, rebellion‚ disobedience or unprayerfulness, then you can undergo attacks by the Selvegion again. Even if one doesn't latch onto you permanently, you can let one in for periods of time in which it begins, like a tick, to instantly burrow into your life and heart and begin to snack on your insides. It attacks love, compassion, pity, faith, unity, and every good thing. So even if you call on Me for deliverance, and dig it out and rid yourself of it afterwards and repair your shield, you'll still have some internal damage‚ and this has happened.

18. The way such wounds are healed is through confession, apology, forgiveness, honesty‚ Word time, prayer, praise, and calling on the power of the keys. These things disinfect the cuts and they repair what was broken.

19. Your shield is powered by prayer‚ positiveness, faith, trust, unity, and large measures of love. It's a love that you cannot possess on your own. It's a love that comes from Me and that you must be filled with in order to keep your shield's power at maximum. You get this love by spending time with Me, by reading My Word, by doing the things I ask‚ and by asking Me for it.

20. On your own, eventually your own love and tolerance will wear thin, and you'll see problems rather than solutions; you'll get on a negative train of thought and you'll be open prey. You must ask Me for My supernatural love which sees beyond the day-to-day struggles of unity and into the hearts of those you need to love. That love is only of Me, and I am the only place to get it. (End of message from Jesus.)

21. (Jesus speaking:) As each Family member seeks Me diligently, hears My voice, and heeds My directions, the unity will flow. I desire unity, and if you will listen, you will hear My Words that tell you the best things to do, the way to go. If you follow, there will be unity, for I have provided you with counsel that works.

22. The sound of the trumpet is clear! It's clear in the Letters. It's clear through My voice to this Endtime generation, Maria and Peter. It's clear! If you will only heed that alone, there will be unity. If you will also hearken diligently to My voice of personal prophecy, you will find the path to unity even clearer. I will provide you with more details, and I will outline the how-tos to resolve your particular situation.

23. Each of you must seek Me for personal instructions, and My instructions will be clear. My guidance will show the way, and by following it, you will bear fruit. The difference which My Words make will be clear to see. The unfruitful and unprogressive areas will be further highlighted. The spotlight of truth will narrow down, and the reasons for the problems will be known.

24. My love and forgiveness that cover all sins and all transgressions will abound to degrees you never thought possible! I do not dwell on the past. I am dwelling on the future. Once you make the commitment to change, all My force of love and the full power of the keys goes to help you move forward--not to rub your nose in the past mistakes. But if you will not learn nor heed, then the mistakes and sins will remain a stench and it will be very clear who is moving forward and who is remaining in the stinky past. (End of message from Jesus.)

25. (Jesus speaking:) These little problems and personality clashes with others are like old candle wax. It hardens and doesn't just go away. It sticks and blobs up and generally requires a knife to come along and scrape it off. But there is also another way. Bring out the light and fire of My Word and Spirit! This will melt away all of these differences that lead to disunity. Let My Word burn bright within you. Hold it up to the old, sticky, waxy blobs, and they'll melt away.

26. All that come to Me I will deliver. As you call on the keys, as you claim the promises, it is done. But you have to daily raise the light of My Word to your life to see if they're coming back or building up again. Keep the standard high. Keep the flame burning bright. Keep My Word and Spirit flowing freely in your daily life. (End of message from Jesus.)

27. (Jesus speaking:) Diligently guard the garden of your heart, for the Enemy is always lurking and trying to enter your garden to sow his evil seeds--not only your garden, but that of all those around you. You must be on guard and on the attack and constantly calling on Me to keep your garden clean, constantly weeding your garden and calling on My help when you feel even the slightest twinges or feelings of the Enemy trying to enter through pride, jealousy, selfishness, or hurt feelings of any kind.

28. Stay desperate daily to keep a humble heart and spirit, and then My grace will be sufficient. Stay full of My Word and Spirit so there's no room for the Enemy to get in, because your spiritual walls are up and strong to withstand the Enemy's onslaughts. Neither give place to the Evil One through criticism or negativity of any kind‚ for this, and all points mentioned, are the ways of entrance for the evil Selvegion.

29. Stay strong and vigilant and on the attack! Don't allow any chink in your armor, crack, or breach in your wall to open up. The best defense is an offense, an attack, and strong, powerful resistance to the Enemy's evil tricks and devices and subtle attacks on the walled city of your heart and spirit. (End of message from Jesus.)

30. (Jesus speaking:) The Enemy seeks to eat away at you. Everything that is good and right, he wishes to take and change with his poison and corruption.

31. I have shown you the evil Selvegion and you recognize them; you have seen the evil black elves that sit upon your shoulder and whisper to you. What you need to see now is that the words of their mouths are all lying vanities. They breathe out vile whispers, and these fly in through your ears and reach your heart very quickly. These words of lying vanity are carried on the breath of the Selvegion.

32. Just as I have said that My Words are life‚ so the words of the Enemy are death. They are like a virus on your computer, small and vile. They enter in through the ears and quickly contaminate and pollute the inner chambers of your being. Once they have entered in‚ it doesn't take long for them to distort and alter the words that you hear, and your perception becomes tainted and corrupted.

33. When praying against the Selvegion you must also pray against the lying vanities that they have sown in your heart. For if you are not cleansed, you are left with a false perception of things. These evil lying vanities can attach themselves to the "files" of your heart and mind, and there they do their damage. While other areas of your heart and mind are not directly affected, the files that relate to these particular people or circumstances are altered and changed. The only cure is to delete these lying vanities, these corrupted files‚ through cleansing prayer and through My Word and hearing from Me in prophecy to set you straight. You must pray against these incoming lying vanities repeatedly, until every trace of the virus is cleansed and healed.

34. Your perception of certain situations has been altered and corrupted. Lying vanities have taken over. The problems that exist are real, but lying vanities have entered in and you perceive things to be extensions of the problem that are not so. You cannot give [those you are working with] the benefit of the doubt in this state, because from the moment you hear their words, they are twisted and distorted in your perception. It becomes unpleasant to even be near them because the lying vanities have corrupted your relationship and everything is tainted and strained.

35. These lying vanities can actually use your corrupted perception of someone or some situation to attack you seriously, even when no such intentions are present on the part of the other party. [Lying vanities] have taken hold of these things and turned them against you, all of their own accord‚ without even the need for further help from outside. You cannot receive from [those you are working with].

36. These lying vanities cause you to believe that every move of the other is an intentional strike against you, with the intent to do further damage, even when this is not in any way the intent of the other. They convince you that there is no love or positive motivation in the words and actions of the other. Your entire perception of the other is negative and corrupt. This can actually become your immediate response, and the voice of lying vanities can become very difficult to discern. (End of message from Jesus.)

37. (Jesus speaking:) The Selvegion come into your mind and eat your heart out from the inside. They devour and destroy. They've been allowed entrance through your negative and critical thoughts. You let them in by allowing yourself the luxury of thinking that you're justified in being bitter against someone for something they said or did. They're empowered when you're frustrated and you take it out on someone that you feel is the cause of your frustration--even if you don't take it out on them in words, but you take it out on them in your thoughts. You rebut, retaliate, and carry on a little war with them in your heart and mind by thinking of all the things you could have said or should have said to make them see how frustrated you are.

38. You cannot allow this to carry on one moment more! Seek prayer. Ask those who you've had difficulty with if you can pray together for some kind of solution. The solution for you personally is to trust Me and to commit all your differences and disagreements to Me rather than letting them fester within yourself.

39. This is a prime example of what can happen when you're not on guard. You must become trained to see these Selvegion. Even if you can't see them with your naked eye, you can learn to be attuned to what they do so that you know when they're around, and then you'll know how to fight them.

40. Fight them with My Word! When you feel them coming close, when you feel anger or frustration welling up inside you, fight them by praying, by claiming My Words, and that will form a protective shield over you so that they will not be allowed entrance.

41. It's sometimes hard to live communally, and you feel that you do enough, that you sacrifice enough, that you're doing your best, and then it's frustrating when something doesn't go the way you'd like. But trust Me, and know that all things do work together for good--even for your good--if you trust Me.

42. In My Name you can cast out devils, so claim the power of the keys for today and fight the Selvegion with My Words! Call on My Name and they'll run screaming and trembling! They won't be allowed into your heart, mind, or spirit again if you learn how to fight them, if you learn how to use My Words against them.

43. Zap them with prayer, with My Name, and by claiming the promises of the keys, and they won't be able to return! It's going to take a fight. So pray and praise, claim My Words, and know that I wish for you to do all you can to be a blessing, even if you feel those you are blessing don't deserve it.

44. This comes from pride--pride in thinking that you know best‚ that you're right‚ that others are way too narrow-minded and need to be set straight. Did it ever occur to you that you might be the one at fault? Rebuke the Selvegion in My Name and you will have deliverance! (End of message from Jesus.)

45. (Mama:) Here's a very good message that someone received when they asked the Lord the question, "What can I personally do to encourage greater unity in my Home?"

46. (Jesus speaking:) Well, for starters, there is one very simple thing: Stop the gossip now! Stop talking negatively about others behind their backs. Stop saying anything about anyone else that isn't uplifting and that doesn't inspire the person that you're talking to to love the person that you're discussing more.

47. I know that you don't often maliciously malign someone, but there are times when you laugh with your friends about someone's funny quirks, or you say they're "weird" or many other various things. It gets ugly sometimes and it's not a good spirit. Although it's often in fun or in jest, it's still a disuniting influence, and if you want to help encourage unity‚ you're going to have to start being nicer, saying nice things, and doing nice things to back it up.

48. It's not that you never do the opposite; I'd say you say nice things about people just as much, if not more‚ than you sometimes make negative comments. But all the same, the nice things you say don't cancel out the negative words. Because of human nature, people often remember the bad, and, sad to say, negative words that paint a certain person in a bad light often linger in the memories of the hearer much longer than a compliment you give someone, or something uplifting or nice you've said.

49. The reason little comments can be so divisive is because they are a wedge that cuts into My Bride, My united Body, and subtly and slowly divides one from the other in terms of cliques or classes or whatever you want to call it.

50. You don't usually talk badly about your good friends, do you? No, you don't. So if you're talking wrongly about someone else, that sends an indirect message to your spirit, and to whoever hears you, that that person is not your friend, is not in your close confidence‚ is not on your good side, and basically is not in unity with you.

51. That's a very sad statement to make, because as I have said, I need My Body, My Bride‚ to be whole, with no schism among you. Those comments strike at the heart of that unity, and they need to stop. I know the question was what you can do, not what you should not do, but, really, stopping negative discussion about others is the biggest step you can take at this moment to bring up the level of unity in your Home.

52. Then there are all the regular things--the reaching out, the learning about others, the being more understanding and trying others' hobbies, doing activities with them, and getting to know a broader range of people. The more people you know well, the easier it is to have a real bond of unity with them.

53. Something else you could do is to make sure you resolve any differences with people when they come up. Don't wait until you've had a nasty scene or some disagreement. Even if it never comes to a head or any kind of confrontation, if someone gets under your skin, instead of letting it sit there, go to them and try to work it out. Actually, before you go to them, come to Me and ask Me for My advice on how to proceed and whether or not to discuss it with them.

54. Another point about the gossiping is that it's always helped when you've told anyone that you're close to that you don't want to talk that way anymore, and that if they could help you not do it, you'd appreciate it. That would be a good thing to do again. Let your friends know--the people you discuss stuff with a lot, you know who they are--that you're going to try to work on not talking negatively about certain ones, and that if you get on that topic, you'd appreciate their help in changing it. That sends a positive message that you want to repair the breaches in your unity, and it will get you reminders, and it will remind your friends not to do it either.

55. Everyone has some influence in some sphere or another, and you need to be aware of yours and make sure that you use it wisely. Your opinion counts to those people who care about you. Those who love you want to be in line with the things you like and dislike, and there are others who look up to you, or at least respect your opinion.