n The Action Series!—Part 1

By MariaCM 3298 4/00

Dear Family,

1. We are now in what the Lord has called the era of action, the era of greater works. He has given many tremendous messages and promises regarding the changes and victories He will bring to the Family in the future.

2. With this GN, Peter and I want to explain more about what this era of action means in the short- and the long-term. We want to assess where we've been, what the Lord did to bring us to the point we're now at, and more importantly, where we're headed. You'll be happy to know the Lord has been showing more clearly what the "action" of the era of action is, and we want to pass that information on to you in this Action Series of GNs!

3. We as individuals and the Family overall are going places and doing new things. It's awesome and can even be hard to fully grasp. But one thing we know for sure is that it's real. The Lord isn't just talking evangelistically, simply to inspire us. It's not hype. It's real, it's ­happening!

4. To refresh your memory, here is an excerpt of a message the Lord gave at the end of 1999 when He first talked about the era of action:

5. (Jesus speaking:) With the new year will come change—great change. The coming year will be the embodiment of the word "change." You will see changes in almost every area of your lives and the lives of those around you. Things are not going to continue as they have been. … This is the start of a new era‚ the opening of a door to a new time—the era of action! …

6. The era of action has begun. Now is the day to gird on your armor and prepare for war, for the day has come. … To all My children I issue this battle cry: Watch and pray‚ for you're entering the days of action! (ML #3288:12,15,25,32; GN 882).

7. We were also given much insight about the future of the Family in the messages given for the Birthday Feast 2000. I know you don't have time to reread GNs very often, so to remind you of the marvelous things revealed at that time, here are a few significant promises from Dad:

8. You're standing on the threshold! … You have no idea how magnificent it is, how great it's going to be!

9. I want to encourage you on the eve of this new year that it promises not only to be your best year yet, but that the year 2000 marks the beginning of a brand-new era!

10. [This is] … the beginning of a new era altogether—the most significant era the world has ever known.

11. It begins now, the age of mightier miracles, the era of greater works that you will do.

12. You're going to preach the greatest message you've ever preached and be the greatest witnesses you've ever been!

13. You're entering the days when you will do the greatest work you've ever done, the greatest witnessing you've ever done, the greatest reaping you've ever done (ML #3267:17‚18,20,32,69,83; GN 869).

14. You all have worked hard to grow and progress over the years, and that's something we'll talk about more a little later in this GN. But in spite of the progress that you've made and you've seen others make, you might wonder what magic trick the Lord will do to help us achieve the great things He's promised. How will all this action come to pass?

15. There are some definite practical steps He has asked us to take. Peter and I will explain some of those in this GN and in the GNs that follow in this series. There are changes that He's leading us to make, definite, major strides of progress and change. He's beginning to unveil His plan, to show us where He wants us, as the Family, to go. But even having the vision and knowing where the Lord wants us to go is not enough. We have to have His power to do it! We couldn't possibly fulfill the glorious things the Lord has in store for us on our own. But our wonderful Husband has taken care of that; He has done something fantastic to equip us for this new era. I'm talking about the awesome gift He gave each of us during the consecration ceremony of Feast 2000—a new anointing, exactly what we need for this era of action and all that it holds.

16. When each of us knelt before the Lord and received the oil of His new anointing, it wasn't just a pretty ceremony! It was real, and something happened, something changed! We have noticed the difference in our lives and have seen evidence of it in the reports we read about what's happening on the field. Things are changing! There are new and greater miracles, breakthroughs, open doors! Our new anointing is beginning to manifest itself, and we want to remind you what a precious gift it is. The Lord said:

17. The time has come, My children, to receive My sacred consecration, that My divine power may rest upon you and that you might receive My full blessings for the greatest days of all time. … I now consecrate you for the day of greater works and the age of mighty miracles! … I now pour this fresh anointing upon you that you might perform greater works and mighty miracles as you march on to greater vic­tories, ushering in the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. I consecrate you that you might avail yourself of My great and mighty power (ML #3269:32,42,44; GN 871).

18. Each of you received this fresh anointing, which will help you do what needs to be done. Even if you haven't felt its manifestation fully in your life yet, you will. As each of us con­tinues to obey the Lord and follow the New Wine‚ we will begin to see the fulfillment of all the Lord has promised.

19. The Lord has been working out His perfect plan for years‚ until He brought us to the point where He could reward us both individually and collectively with this new anointing. That's right, this new anointing is a reward! It might seem like it was a long time coming, but it was worth the wait. You who were willing to make the needed changes over the last five years and who have committed yourselves to living the life of a full–time disciple as described in the Charter membership contract are now ready for the era of action. You're already in it! It's already happening‚ so we want to explain more about what it means and where the action is!

20. Before we focus on the coming changes, let's review the past, to put it into perspective. In earlier GNs we've analyzed briefly how the Lord has led over the years, but since we've now left one era behind and have entered a new one, it helps to give us some perspective if we look back on what the Lord has done over the last five years, and why. Here are excerpts of a talk that Peter gave on this subject to some of our WS members.

Review of the Last Five Years

By Peter:

n The Charter Switch

21. (Peter:) The last five years brought about a great deal of change within the Family. In 1995 the Lord gave the Family the Love Charter. The implementation of the Charter resulted in many positive changes within the Family, but it had some negative repercussions as well.

22. The Charter set you free to launch out according to your faith without being restricted in so many ways by your local leadership structure. Prior to the Charter‚ people were bound by red tape. You could hardly make a decision without getting leadership approval‚ which often came slowly, if at all. You couldn't move from one Home to another unless you had permission all the way up to the NASs or CROs! There were many large Homes‚ which required lots of rules and regulations to run effectively. Although these Homes were able to accomplish a lot, they became institutionalized and lost the homey atmosphere. Though some aspects of Family life worked well and things were generally more organized, and perhaps the Family was more productive in certain respects at that time than today, personal spiritual growth was stunted. People didn't have enough choice in matters that were important to them, and many felt stifled and unhappy. Thus, the Lord led us to put forth the Love Charter.

23. Adopting the Charter resulted in the immediate doing away with a great deal of red tape. Much more personal responsibility was placed on each Family member's shoulders. Homes and members rose or sank to the level of their faith.

24. The majority of Family members have used the Charter in a positive manner, which has helped make the Family better. On the other hand, some aspects of the Family have been greatly weakened since the implementation of the Charter, due to some people not having enough love, dedication, self–sacrifice, vision, commitment, or simple obedience to fully follow the Lord and the Word. Dad and Mama and I anticipated these problems and were concerned about them, but the Lord encouraged us to go ahead with the Charter, as the Family needed liberation from the ways of the past in order to stay alive, to continue progressing, and to ­create opportunities for individual initiative.

25. When we presented the Charter and its freedoms to the Family, people began making personal decisions on how to use these new freedoms. Some used the freedoms and liberties of the Charter in the intended manner. They took initiative, launched out by faith, pioneered, won souls and disciples and used love as their guiding principle in all they did. Sad to say, however, others took the freedoms and used them to push their own agenda, looking for ways to improve things for themselves, regardless of the damage it did to their Home or to the overall Family. Their behavior was selfish, unloving and hurtful, even un-Christian. Many have been hurt and disillusioned because of the behavior and attitudes they've seen in these Family members.

26. The Charter also brought a sharp contrast between people who were making choices to be in the Family for the Lord and the work, and those who made the choice to remain in the Family only because they liked the lifestyle and its benefits and they didn't have to put forth too much effort. The folks who just liked the lifestyle wanted to stay in the comfortable Family "nest," where they knew how to get by without having to work too hard. Taking advantage of the freedoms of the Charter enabled them to hang around without having to put their hearts fully into being a disciple.

27. All of you have probably met or lived with folks over the past several years who, though they were Family members in name, were very much out of the Family in spirit. Rather than their goals being to love the Lord and the brethren, preach the Gospel and burn brightly for Jesus‚ their goals were to live a comfortable lifestyle, to enjoy themselves, and to have as much fun as possible while doing the minimum amount of work! If the Home wanted to make changes that would cramp their style‚ they would vote against those proposals. If the proposals were voted in despite their objections, they made every effort to get around them by doing the barest minimum‚ while groaning and complaining about it at every possible opportunity. This caused debilitating conflict and disunity. Because of this inner-Family conflict between those who really wanted to do the Lord's will and others who merely wanted the easy communal-living lifestyle, the cohesiveness of the Family, the unity, the oneness, the love, the common vision and goals were weakened.

28. On the other hand, because of the very same freedom of personal choice made available in the Charter, the Family has also made tremendous progress. Many spread their wings and flew to new heights of pioneering, opening new Homes and countries, experimenting in new ministries, going further and doing more than they ever had in the past. Since the Charter was implemented, the number of CM Homes has risen from 308 to today's 802, an increase of 494. In March 1995, we had CM/FM Homes in 52 countries. We've now more than doubled that to CM/FM Homes in 106 countries!

29. Our witness during this five-year ­period has also increased substantially compared with the years leading up to the Charter (though it's still lower than in some previous periods in the Family, such as the late '80s). The Family has done things we've never done before! We've gone to new places and pioneered new ministries, as we've continued to win new friends, followers‚ and disciples!

30. The implementation of the Charter has caused some problems that have hurt some ­facets of the Family, but there's no doubt that it's been instrumental in bringing about a great deal of good, including significant progress in certain areas. It guaranteed individual freedom and self-determination‚ which has made individual Family members happier overall, resulting in a generally happier Family, despite the problems that the misuse of these freedoms by some has caused.

n Strengthening of
the Individual

31. With the advent of the Charter, Family members moved away from dependence on large Homes and local leadership. Because there was no longer someone telling you what Home to live in, what ministry you would have‚ and what to do in practically every situation‚ you had to get ahold of the Lord and learn to make de­cisions for yourselves. Once the old structure was removed, you could no longer pass the buck to your NAS for decisions that went awry or that weren't in line with your plans. You realized that someone else wasn't going to work out your every problem for you. The responsibility of decision-making shifted to you.

32. Having to make your own decisions and live with the consequences of those decisions has helped to grow you up. It has meant more prayerful and wise decision-making, resulting in better out­comes, which certainly has contributed to the great progress the Family has made over the last five years. It has meant more confident Family members with more faith to launch out to new horizons, a wonderful change within our ranks.

33. During this period, the Lord gave the Family various new weapons of the spirit, some of the primary ones being praise, loving Jesus intimately, and using the gift of prophecy. Each of these weapons was designed to deepen your relationship with the Lord. While using the new weapons hasn't always been easy, and some still struggle to implement them, the overall effect of these precious gifts has been the strengthening of each individual's personal connection with Jesus.

34. Praising the Lord has made us much more aware of the many things He does for us on a daily basis. As we thank Him, honor Him, and show our appreciation by verbally acknowledging the numerous blessings, both big and small‚ that He pours upon us daily, it helps us to better realize and understand the importance Jesus plays in our everyday lives, resulting in more love and gratitude toward our wonderful Husband and Provider.

35. Using prophecy on a regular basis has been a major step in our spiritual growth. Listening to the Lord's directions and instructions has made us all more aware of the ever-open line of communication between the One Who has all of the answers and us who so desperately need those answers. Our lives are dedicated to serving God and doing His will, and we now have the means to know more specifically what He wants us to do in each situation. He's given us an incredibly powerful communication link from His heart to ours.

36. The Loving Jesus revelation has enhanced our individual relationships with the Lord, as it enabled us to draw closer to Him than ever before. The Lord revealed His personal desire for love and humbly asked us to do our part to fill that need. In doing so, He has allowed us to partake in a special intimacy with Him. He's made it possible for us to love Him freely, without shame, resulting in us all getting to know Him more deeply than in the past and receiving the many blessings He bestows upon us because of it.

37. These three precious gifts from the Lord—the new weapons of praise, prophecy, and loving Jesus intimately—have made it possible for us to be married to Him in every sense of the word. The Lord and each of us love together, talk together, listen to each other, make love together, and participate in life together. We're connected to the Lord in an intimate way, which makes us much more one with Him than ever before. This has been a major step forward for each Family member and for the Family as a whole.

38. Within these past years many have gone through a period of decision regarding their faith‚ their place in God's service, and wondering if the Family is where they belong or is ­really going the right way. Facing these questions, bringing them to the Lord, and making the de­cision to stick has strengthened many people. They've made the stand and are determined to go forward with the Lord and with the Family regardless of the choices of others.

39. So while we've had some losses, have faced some setbacks, and some areas of the CM Family have been weakened during the last five years‚ there is solid evidence that each indi­vidual's faith and connection with the Lord have been greatly strengthened.

n Wrapping Up the
Days of Choice

40. The Lord called the days at the beginning of the Charter and after Dad's Homegoing the days of choice. In "The Shakeup 2000" He said, "I've laid choices before My children over the past years. I've told them that they could make their own choices‚ and that they would have to live with the consequences of their choices. … Now they must make what amounts to their final choice—the choice of how much they will serve Me, how dedicated they will be‚ how much they're willing to sacrifice to uphold the standard, to live My Words" (ML #3257:207; GN 857).

41. For a number of years we were going through the days of choice. The Lord has been clear in His Word as to the types of choices He wanted us to make—choices of love, yielded­ness, faith and obedi­ence. Depending on the choices each of you made‚ you've either drawn closer to the Lord and His ways or pulled away. The sum of your choices has brought you to where you are today.

42. This five-year period, from the time of the implementation of the Charter until now, cul­minated in the S2K, which brought the biggest choice that each person in the Family had to make: a) To remain in the CM Family and commit yourself to uphold the spirit of the Word and the Charter as described in the Charter member­ship contract; b) To remain in the Family, but become a Fellow Member; or c) To no longer continue in the Family.

43. Everybody has made many choices during the last five years, and those choices have put them on certain paths and taken them in certain directions. In some cases their choices have led them out of the Family. In other cases their choices have brought them to the point of deciding, "Well‚ I can't live up to the requirements of the CM Family, therefore I'll be FM." That's good! That's certainly more spiritually fruitful than going to the System, and it's better than someone staying in the CM Family but not living the standard.

44. There were also Charter Members whose choices were leading them out of the CM Family who heard the Lord's wake-up call with the S2K. They've realized, "God help me‚ the choices I've been making over the last years have weakened me spiritually and led me to the brink of leaving the CM Family, but I want to make it! I want to change!" Those of you who fit this description are having to fight your way back to consistently living the CM standard. It has been a difficult fight and a forsake-all for you, but we know that if you have the desire to make it, the Lord will help you to do so. God bless you for your fight and determination. We're praying for you!

45. The Shakeup brought some big questions: "Do you want to be in the Family or don't you? Do you want to serve the Lord as a full-time disciple or not? Are you here for the Lord or the lifestyle?" We don't want people in the CM Family who are here only for the lifestyle. We can't move ahead into this era of action with lifestyle types in our ranks. We need people who are going forward, who are here because they love Jesus, because He's their Husband, because they know that this is God's will for them, because they have the desire to reach the lost‚ because they are disciples, believers, followers and teachers of God's Word!

46. Thank the Lord, the cleansing of the S2K has been progressing very well. The majority of the CM Family signed the CM contact without hesitation, others have rededicated their lives to become full-time disciples, while others have moved to FM status, or have left the Family. There will still be some continued cleansing, but there has been a very big change already, for which we are all very thankful!

n The Days of Preparation

47. The Lord also called the last five years the days of preparation in the spirit—the days of practice, the days of getting ready for what's ahead. The main components of these days of preparation have been the new weapons, some of the primary ones being praise, prophecy, and loving Jesus intimately, living the Law of Love to the full, and the weapon of weakness, meekness and humility.

48. During this period the Lord repeatedly encouraged us to prepare by practicing with these new weapons, trying them out, getting used to them, learning how to use them properly. It was a time to exercise love, humility, unity, yieldedness, obedience, prayerfulness and the strength of weakness. We've all probably wondered from time to time exactly what was the purpose of the days of preparation. What were we preparing for?—The era of action!

49. The Lord gave us these years to learn, to grow, to make choices, to exercise our individual faith, to see if we would obey Him and His Word not just because our leadership said so but because it's the right thing to do, the best thing to do. He's given us time to learn how to praise Him, to love Him intimately, and to hear from Him in prophecy. He's tested our obedience, yieldedness and prayerfulness. And the reason He's done that is so we would be ready for the things He has for us in this era of action, this era we have just entered.

50. You might feel that you didn't prepare yourself enough during this time, or that you squandered those days and you aren't ready. Unfortunately‚ for some that is true. Some of you didn't use those years wisely and you aren't as prepared as you should be. The good news is that it's not too late! There's still time. If you're behind, if you haven't been fully on board in spirit, then start now. Work hard at using the new weapons, go back and reread the instructional Letters of the past five years, and begin applying the Word to your life today. It's not too late if you start now! (See the "Feast 2000 Reading List‚" GN 868, pg.11–12‚ and ML #3290‚ GN 886, beginning at paragraph 22.)

n Individual Crises of Faith

51. During this five-year period—the days of choice combined with the days of preparation and the implementation of the Charter—it seems that most people in the Family, both young and old, have gone through some personal crisis of faith. It's as if the Lord has stuck a test in front of you and said, "Okay, here's your personal crisis of faith. You have to decide. Are you in there‚ or aren't you? Is this the truth‚ or isn't it? If you don't understand it, can you still go ahead by faith, or is this a deal-breaker that you feel you need to leave the Family over?" I'd venture to say that each of us has had to fight our way through these tests and make spiritual life-and-death decisions, and this has been an integral part of the days of choice for each Family member. These crises were centered around such things as: the change from Dad's style of the Letters to the prophecy style that the Lord has shown Mama to use, the dramatic increase in the use of prophecy, the Loving Jesus revelation‚ loved ones leaving the Family, problems in the Family, and a variety of other things.

52. The Loving Jesus revelation caused a lot of people to spiritually tilt when it first came out. Their spiritual gyroscopes were knocked off balance. It was bumpy for them for a while, until they gained a greater understanding of it, tried it themselves and saw the benefits.

53. Although we had prophecy when Dad was around, the emphasis on prophecy was certainly new. At first, this was difficult for many. They didn't see why we needed to hear from the Lord so much, why we couldn't just continue on as we had under Dad's leadership. Not only were we supposed to hear from the Lord ourselves, but the GNs were full of prophecy, which was different than Dad's Letters.

54. At first the Lord encouraged us to try prophecy out, to try hearing from Him and to see the results. Later He encouraged us to make hearing from Him a more constant part of our lives. Now the use of prophecy has reached the "Ask Me Every­thing" level. Most of us are much more comfortable with prophecy; we've tried it, benefited from it, and have seen its good fruits. There are still questions that some have, but the crisis over its use has for the most part passed.

55. If you have not made it through whatever personal crisis of faith you are faced with, then you need to get down to business with the Lord. Face your battles or fears, claim the victory‚ and decide to be in the Family all the way. We're moving forward and the Lord has great plans for us in the future, so He can't have people in the CM Family who are not committed or who are merely lifestyle Family members. It just won't work. He needs full-fledged Charter Member disciples‚ people who are living the Word fully‚ believing it, doing it, accepting it‚ and applying it in their lives.

n The Lord's Aim
During the Last Five Years

56. While the days of choices and preparation have been difficult, each individual in the CM Family has established a stronger connection with the Lord than they had six or seven years ago. This is what the Lord has been aiming at‚ because as we know from the Word and all Dad has taught us, the most important thing is our relationship with the Lord, our ability to hear from Him and follow and obey what He says. During the day of choices and preparation, the Lord focused on strengthening these things in our lives.

57. Number one: We're more intimate with the Lord. If you practice the Loving Jesus revelation in some way‚ you no doubt have a deeper‚ more personal relation­ship with your Husband than you did previously. Whether you simply say love words to Him, love Him while masturbating or while loving others, it's certainly drawn you closer to His heart.

58. Number two: We're more attuned to hearing from the Lord in prophecy. Whether your gift of hearing from the Lord is halting or flowing, it's almost certainly become more important to you, as it has to the Family overall. We stop and pray and seek the Lord about things. Maybe you don't hear from the Lord about every little thing, but you're getting there. In general, the Family is using prophecy much more than in the past. So we have a much ­stronger connection with the Lord.

59. We've all been tested in a multitude of ways. We've had to make choices. We've had to decide whether to yield, obey‚ and all the rest. You've passed through one or more crises of faith, and if you're still here it's because you've passed the test by making the right choices. So even though some areas of the overall Family have been weakened during this time, the spiritual life of each Charter Member—which is the most important—has become much stronger. The individuals in the CM Family have a much closer and stronger connection with the Lord.

60. Although quite a number of people have left the CM Family over the past five years, especially since the implementa­tion of S2K, this has actually strengthened the Family. We'll miss those who left because we love them, but the result has been a stronger, purer, more united and dedicated Family. A lot of people have also ­chosen to become Fellow Members. And that's ­strength­en­ed the Family too. Every one of us was faced with the question of whether we wanted to remain in the Family, and specifically if we wanted to continue as a Charter Member. We've all had to sign a contract stating that we want to live the Charter Member standard. Those who didn't want to have left the CM Family, or will be leaving. This is for the best and has only served to strengthen the Family as a whole, and will continue to do so.

61. It's quality, not quantity, the Lord wants in the CM Family! He's trimming us down to a movement of disciples who are determined to get on with His business without the distraction and pull of those who enjoyed the lifestyle but not the life of serving the Lord and others full-time. It's been difficult to see our loved ones, friends and co-workers make choices that have led them away from the Lord's full-time service, but their leaving the CM Family is not weakening us; it's strengthening us. It will be much easier to move forward into the era of action with sold-out, whole­hearted disciples who want to live the faith life, rather than trying to bring along those who are not with us in spirit‚ who don't believe as we do‚ or who don't feel they can live up to the rigorous life of Charter member­ship.

62. All of this adds up to a stronger Family, which is the core of what the Lord has been doing the last five years. This strengthening is the result of our giving the Family the Lord's Words‚ showing His will‚ explaining the way He sees things, giving His directions, and then allowing each person the freedom to choose whether to follow. This has forced each Family member to make decisions regarding their level of faith and obedience to the Lord.

n Stronger Individuals,
But There Are Still Problems

63. Each of you has seen the results of your decisions. You've learned through personal experi­­ence that if you make lousy choices, it brings about negative results. You've also witnessed the negative effects of other people's bad choices, both in their lives and in the lives of those they live with or affect. When you've made the wrong choice and have found yourself out of the Lord's will; when your bad de­cisions have hurt your loved ones; when others around you have made choices contrary to the Word and you've suffered in some way because of it, you've seen the importance of obeying, of following closely, of choosing to do the Lord's will, even if it isn't the easiest thing to do.

64. Traveling this road of choice hasn't always been pleasant; the journey has been fraught with problems. But the end result has been the important and necessary spiritual growth of each individual. You've learned from yours and others' mistakes. You've grown‚ and now, by God's grace, you're making better choices. You're more likely to obey the Lord and His Word now‚ not because your shepherd is telling you to, but because you choose to, based on your own personal experience, conviction and con­nec­tion with the Lord.

65. Yes, there have been negative spin-offs over the past five years‚ because the days of choice allowed each person to determine his or her own level of faith and obedience. Yes, there has been disunity, lack of love, selfishness, and a tearing down of the principles of the Family by those who've been only lifestyle Family members, who've mocked the Lord's Words, who've spoken and worked against where He's been leading, and who've acted like borderline Christians. And no, Mama and I haven't been happy about it!

66. There have been times when we've been upset and frustrated—as well as greatly saddened—when we've heard about the damage inflicted on the Family by the choices of those who didn't want to follow, yet who hung around and didn't want to leave, as well as those who chose to let such people tear down the Family while they did very little‚ if anything, to stand up against it. Numerous times Mama and I sought the Lord about what to do about these problems, and each time He led us to simply continue giving His Word on the problems and letting each person decide whether he or she would obey. It was the day of choices.

67. The Lord wanted to give everyone time to make their personal decisions, time to learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of ­others. Even though it was hurting some aspects of the Family because some people were making the wrong choices, He knew that in the long run it would strengthen those who remained. Then, time ran out. He gave the S2K message and we all have had to face the music in regards to our choices. If you've been doing your best to follow, yield and obey, then you're ready to move on in this era of action. Those whose choices ran contrary to the Lord, His Word and ways, have moved out of the CM Family, or they soon will.

68. The S2K was a little vignette of life and death. We each live our life, making choices and decisions, not always realizing the importance of those little day-to-day choices to obey or not to obey, to love or not to love, to yield or not to yield. Then one unexpected day we die and we have to review our lives, seeing just where our choices took us.

69. The S2K made you face where your decisions had taken you. If you had been on board, then signing the CM contract probably wasn't that difficult for you. If you had been lagging behind and faced a rude awakening about the changes you needed to make, then you probably went through a time of difficulty, trying to get your personal standard up to par in order to live the spirit of the Word and the Charter as defined in the Charter membership contract. Some realized they couldn't live up to the contract and chose to become Fellow Members. Others saw that the jig was up and they could no longer live the lifestyle without the commitment of daily giving their lives for the Lord and the lost, so they chose to leave or have been asked to go—or they will be soon!

70. The point I'm making is that even though we, as the Family, had to suffer some during these days of choice and preparation, the net result has been stronger individuals. It's been beauty for ashes, strength from adversity. It's been hard, but each of us has grown stronger because of it. Think back to your life and relationship with the Lord five years ago and compare it to today. Ask yourself these questions:

mAm I better able to find the Lord's will for me personally than I was then?

mDo I take personal responsibility for my decisions, rather than expecting others to make them for me?

mDo I praise more?

mDo I spend more time in communion with the Lord, loving Him, listening to Him?

mAm I more inclined to involve the Lord in my daily life, seeking His counsel in prophecy on the little things as well as the big things?

mDoes the Lord play a more active part in my life?

mDo I pray more?

mIs my relationship with Jesus closer and more intimate?

mDo I feel I know the Lord better?

71. Chances are you've answered yes to all or most of these questions. If so, then you are stronger than you were in the past, you're better connected to the Lord‚ and you're ready to move on to what's ahead. (If you answered no to a number of these questions, then you need to reread what the Lord has poured out over the last few years and work on implementing it.)

n Getting All the Elements
in Place

72. Because of the various lessons‚ tests, and our resultant growth during the last five years‚ the Family is now ready and able to move into the next stage, the era of action! As much as we wanted the action earlier, the Lord couldn't bring it about, because in order for it to work‚ the CM Family needed to reach the place where it could be described as follows:

1. A body of people who have been tested and have made the right choices, people that the Lord can trust.
2. An army made up of people who have been through their crisis of faith and have decided‚ "I'm here until the end. The Family is where I belong. I'm with it!"
3. A union of individuals who are connected to the Lord‚ in tune, praying, desperate, loving the Lord intimately and hearing from Him in prophecy.
4. A Gideon's band of those who really want to commit themselves to the Charter standard, and who are not weighed down by those who are not as committed and thus have moved on to another place of service or out of the Family.

73. The Lord has been tuning up and oiling the Family. He's replacing the broken parts, and His machine is getting stronger, more loyal‚ more full of faith, and ready to move forward into the future.

74. Some of us have been impatient at times, feeling that things haven't gone as well as they should have. Maybe you've wondered, "Lord, You've given us all these promises. Where's their fulfillment? Where's the tremendous progress and accomplish­ments You've promised us? Why aren't great things happening?"

75. Well, folks, great things are going to happen, but the Lord wasn't able to move us into the era of action until the preparatory work had taken place, and there's no way it could have happened overnight. The Lord's hands were tied, in a sense, by how quickly we made the right choices and decisions to progress and get prepared for what was to come. He couldn't reward the Family fully and fulfill His promises until the Family was purged of the ones who weren't fully dedicated or willing to go all the way as full-time disciples. It's taken the last five years to get everybody to the place they need to be spiritually with each one either in the concentric circle of service in the Family where they fit best, or out of the Family. And the process continues.

76. The Lord also couldn't reveal what He had in store for us until we'd proven ourselves worthy as individuals, by being on board in the spirit‚ utilizing the new weapons, and committing ourselves to full-time discipleship. Now we're in a position that allows the benefits of that spiritual strengthening and those choices to blossom. These two components—your spiritual strengthening through your intimate relationship with Jesus and the cleansing of the Family—are the first steps to an explosion of fruitfulness! Now much more can happen than has ever happened in the past.

n What About the Continuing
Problems?

77. We all know that the Family as a whole still has major weaknesses and lacks. All the problems the Lord exposed in "The Shakeup 2000" and "More on the Shakeup 2000" have not been fully resolved. Mama and I still receive letters and reports about prob­lems, some of which are serious, that continue in the Family, in spite of the fact that we've been trying to work on them for years. We know the Lord has done His part by pouring out a volume of counsel about most of these weak areas, which Mama and I have published for you. Still, many of these problem areas persist. They've caused many of you to become discouraged, feeling that the Family is falling apart or that some­thing is fundamentally wrong with our movement.

78. We asked the Lord why, if the individuals in the Family are growing and stronger spiritually and are better able to take on personal responsibility, are there still serious ­inner-Family conflicts and problems, which have weakened the Family's unity and cohesiveness as a whole. In the following message, the Lord clearly puts into perspective how He sees these things.

79. (Jesus speaking:) The era of action officially began with the year 2000. I christened this new time of history with the outpouring of a greater anointing for the children of David. Those who chose to remain in the CM Family, who signed the Charter membership contract‚ and who were willing to make the commitments required to be My full-time disciples as defined in that contract‚ were those upon whom I poured out My blessing. As they knelt before Me in humility at the time of the Birthday Feast on the eve of the new year, so was poured out the greatest washing, renewing and empowerment you have yet received.

80. In the spirit‚ this was the beginning of the era of action. But that is not to say that every single facet of the era of action and its fulfillment was in place at that time. There is still much to be done to continue to lay hold on the blessings promised, and it will require much work and a performance of the things you have committed to, including: a continued cleansing of the Family of those who are not keeping the commit­ments they swore to, and a continual determination and fight to do those things that are your part of the bargain.

81. I have done My part. I have spoken the truth and I have given the anointing you will need for the marvels that will yet be accomplished. I have given the vision, I have provided the tools‚ I have set the wheels in motion both through the fire of warnings and the thrill of a hope for the future.

82. You‚ My king and queen, have also done your part. You have followed Me. You have given My Word. You have listened and obeyed, and you have done all you can to bring about the strengthening and cleansing of the Family. You set the Family free, you waited and then you shepherded, according to My specific instructions.

83. You‚ My precious Family‚ have also done what I have asked of you. You have humbled yourselves; you have learned of My ways, you have received the new weapons and made the right choices. You have believed.

84. Overall, everything necessary to bring in the era of action is in place. You are in My perfect will and in step with My plan and timing. My plan and purpose have been accomplished.

85. But what you must see, if you are to under­stand how this can be when it seems that the Family as you see it is not stronger or at least not as strong as you feel it should be, is that the strengthening is continuing and the cleansing is continuing. The vast majority of those who signed the Charter membership contract have been strength­en­ed in their inner man. Yes, each one still has problems and weaknesses, but each is stronger in faith and in his or her per­sonal relationship with Me. If you stop to analyze this, you will see that it's true. And because the foundation of strength for the Family overall is based on the personal relationship that each member has with Me, this personal strengthening is a great step of progress and is tantamount to great progress of the body.

86. Now that each Charter Member has been strengthened in their walk with Me and their ability to hear My voice and find My will, I can begin to focus more fully on strengthening the Family as a body, as far as the structure‚ the outreach, the interaction of individuals and Homes. The Family can only be as strong as the sum total of each individual's personal faith and connection with Me. For that reason, I invested a great amount of time and even risked chaos and a time of confusion and upheaval to purge and strengthen and purify each of My full-time missionaries. This was My way of building the foundation for the great things to come. This was the only way it could be done. Without this crucial step, the other means of strengthening, reinforcing, updating and improving the church would have fallen flat, as a work of the flesh without the power needed.

87. Now that each individual has been strength­en­ed through their choices and the lessons they learned, through the use of the new weapons, through their faithfully taking in and receiving the Word, I can begin to bring about the other things that must be done to prepare the church for the full realization of the era of action. There are other ways in which the Family must be strengthened, such as the interaction of the individuals and Homes, the uniting of the generations, the reorganization of the structure of WS and leadership, and the return to witnessing and follow-up. It's not as if the Family has "arrived" at this point of "being strengthened" as if there were no more Alps to climb. Only the first step has been reached, and there is much more to do.

88. I gave a stern, dire warning with the S2K, and nothing should undermine the seriousness of that warning, for it was and is real. There is still work to be done to bring to pass the admonitions in that message. This cleansing will continue.

89. But this need for more work to be done with the S2K does not negate the value of the prom­ises I give for the era of action. Know that when I deal with a certain aspect of the Family's future or needs or care, I do not always spread a wide and all-encompassing blanket. The current message does not cancel the previous one, nor will the next message nullify all those which have gone before. These two moves of the spirit overlap and run con­currently. The continued cleansing of the S2K and the fulfillment of the promises of the era of action happen simultaneously. There is not time to wait until the CM Family is totally and fully cleansed before I can bring about the next phase of growth. I see that the majority of the CM Family is committed and fully on board and doing their best, and by that measurement I judge and I reward and I lead to the next step.

90. The strength the Family has gained up until this point is the more hidden strength. It's deep within the inner man of each individual; it's a private matter of personal commitment and decisions. The strengthening of the individual is not all there is to it. It's only the beginning. But it is the beginning and it is a very important facet, the completion of which opened the door for Me to give you the new anointing you would need for the next steps. You are well on your way, My precious ones, to the miracles you ­eagerly await! (End of message from Jesus)

91. (Peter: ) It's very helpful to understand that the Lord doesn't completely close the door on one move of the spirit when He begins something new. The Lord will continue the cleansing of the Family, as needed‚ but simultaneously He is going to begin to bring to pass what He has promised regarding the era of action. There will be some continued work with the S2K follow-up, but most of you who are now in the CM Family have committed yourselves to make any changes necessary to fulfill the Lord's plan. The Lord said that the majority of the CM Family is committed and fully on board and doing their best, and for that reason, the Lord could reward each of us by giving us the new anointing we received during Feast 2000. Now we'll turn our efforts to strengthening the overall Family.

92. When thinking about it I got this comparison: Say you start a new army and you have 10‚000 men who have spent a period of time training, exercising and building up their muscles. Maybe they're not a cohesive army and maybe they don't get along very well, they're not as united as they should be and they're mean to each other; but the potential for them being a strong army is there because each soldier is strong. The point is that the individual soldier is stronger‚ and because the individual is stronger‚ it potentially can make the army much stronger. But there's more work needed to get to that point, and everybody has to do his part.

93. The same can be said of the Family. If you look at yourself and those you live with, you'll see that for the most part each one has been spiritually strengthened. If the parts have been strengthened‚ then the whole has the potential to be much stronger or to make headway, which is obviously the stage we're now heading into. Like the Lord said in the above prophecy, it's a transitional thing. He flows from the days of preparation or purging into the era of action. There's the zone of time when they're both going on simultaneously, but one is ­fading and the other is growing brighter. (End of comments from Peter.)

What the Era of Action Holds!

94. (Mama:) Peter and I have been desperate to find out specifically what the Lord has for us now. Where is He leading? What does He want us to do now? How will He bring about the wonderful things He's promised? Does He have new direction for the Family?

95. Lord willing, as I explained earlier, there will be a number of GNs on what the Lord has revealed in answer to these questions. He does have new direction for the Family; He wants to see us make continued progress and solve some of our long-standing problems. The "era of action" is not just a nice term or cool-sounding handle that we'll use for the next few years. It signifies the onset of big changes for the Family—changes in many areas, all for the better! By God's grace, these changes will bring about the era of mightier miracles, greater works, and the greatest message being preached, as the Lord has promised.

96. One of the first glimpses into this new era that we received came from our wonderful Husband on New Year's Eve. After having the Feast consecration ceremony in our Home, we asked the Lord what He had to say about the significance of the ceremony, what the new year would bring, and anything else He wanted to say about the era of action. Here's the answer He gave:

97. (Jesus speaking:) You are now entering the days of action, the era of action. The days of training are over, and now you go forth as trained, specialized soldiers to battle. You are My brides, My wives, My lovers, My children, My friends, but also My soldiers, and the preparation you have received has been for your vocation as soldiers in the great spiritual battle of these Last Days.

98. You ask how you will fight differently than before. You've already gone through skirmishes in the past without being as prepared as you are now. You've seen the years of prepar­ation and you even wonder if maybe I've overdone it, if I've been overly cautious. You wonder what could possibly require so much training, what could be that different or that taxing that you would need such training and drilling over and over again with the new weapons. You feel that you know the ropes pretty well and that you're well prepared for the "days of action." You welcome them; you're eager to show your strength and to demonstrate your proficiency with your sword and shield and other weapons of war.

99. The Family has been burdened in recent years with problems within. There's been much bickering, selfishness and pollution from the world that has not been profitable. There's been disunity, discord, and a lack of love amongst the brethren. I saw fit to cleanse the Family and am still doing so. The cleansing is an ongoing process‚ it will continue, but much progress has been made.

100. After the Family has tried and proven their faith in this new anointing, and shown their willing­ness to believe and accept it and put Me to the test, then the new battlefield will come more into focus. That battlefield is the hearts and minds of men. That battlefield is the winning of new laborers, the harvesting of entire fields for My glory. That battlefield is the training of new leaders and minister­ing to multitudes with My Word.

101. The battlefield and the action of which I speak in this new day is outside your courts, outside your Homes, in the hearts and lives of those in need, the lost, the destitute, the poor and needy. One of the greatest fruits of this new anointing for this new era of greater works will be a tremendous outpouring of love and vision for those you have yet to reach and teach and win. You will turn your eyes from within your ranks and Homes, and you will look to those who have not heard. No longer will the Family focus so much attention and time solely on each other, but they will focus on those who have more desperate needs. They will bury them­selves in ministering to the multitudes who need Me and My Words. They will feel within themselves a passion that will push them out the door to seek out and save the lost.

102. So many laborers will come to your gates and join your fold! You see the humble beginnings of the Activated program, but you have no idea what is to come of it. Your vision is minute compared to what I know will blossom from these humble beginnings.

103. Those who work in the Activated pro­gram see themselves as simple newspaper­men, pub­lishing and distributing the Good News ­every month. They do their humble jobs day by day as faithfully and diligently as possible, though they have their struggles and setbacks and race to meet deadlines. In some cases they lack vehicles and finances. In other cases they care for the mail and materials with one hand while they try to teach and shepherd their children with the other. There are obstacles, there is red tape, there are personal battles, and every­thing seems to go so slowly.

104. Those in these ministries are tempted to look at other NRMs or other Christian ministries, or even nonreligious outfits, and it seems that they have so much more. Their finances seem so abundant‚ their housing and equipment top of the line. They have personnel, leadership, organization, and everything seems so much better. They wonder if the Family has come to the scene a day late and a dollar short.

105. But I have news for you, My darlings, big news: You haven't seen even the tiniest beginnings yet, and what is humble and meager now will explode in the days to come to be your greatest witness ever. The little mailrooms and tiny mailing lists will be a point of laughter in the years to come. You'll look back on these days as you look back on the early days when you ate chicken feed and lived in prophet buses. As much as you've progressed and changed from those days, so will you progress and change as related to Activated in this year and the years to come! There will be such vast growth, such awesome receptivity to the products, such hunger for the Word that you'll stand in awe at the great things I have done.

106. Remember when David produced the first posters and said "millions for the billions"? You found it a little hard to believe or to take literally at first, because you had no idea how far those posters would go. You couldn't imagine there would literally be millions upon millions for the billions on all continents of the world. You had no idea of the tremendous abundance of finances those posters would provide and that they would become the Family's tool of choice for years and years.

107. I'm happy to announce that you will find just such extreme and magnificent fulfillment of the vision regarding the Activated program. There will be more active supporting members than you can imagine. You have no idea! Even if I were to say that it would be past your furthest estimation, you would still not come close to grasping at this time the potential that will be reached with the Activated program!

108. This will be one of the keys to your financial needs. You will have abundance. You will have more than you need for the many urgent and expensive projects you dream of, both to minister to outsiders and to the Family's needs.

109. Even more important‚ this ministry will be a source of multitudes of laborers. You will see in only a few short years that those of you who have been in the Family for many years, the second generation who were born and raised in the Family‚ as well as the nationals whom you have won and diligently trained in My ways, will instruct many. I'm not going to wait until the last three years to thrust you‚ My greatest teachers and labor leaders‚ before the crowds as My representatives to make disciples of all nations.

110. After Activated has done its part to reach the multitudes with the Word, to feed them with the printed page, to alert you to those who are worthy of personal follow-up and attention, then the real work begins. It is this work that will test the love and strength of the Family to the limit, for this will be an about–face change for them.

111. Those who remember the early days know what it means to work day and night to feed the hungry‚ to win and train disciples, to be surrounded by babes who constantly need to be taught and guided. However, with time the Family got away from that calling and that main ministry. In many cases it was because you were surrounded by babes of your own flesh who needed teaching and guidance. I knew you FGAs needed time to raise and train your children. I inspired David to show you that the "knew" disciples were the best, the priority, and you obeyed and have done well. But now there is an army ready, and the time is approaching when you will once again turn your eyes outward and give of yourselves day and night to tend to the hungry, the sheep, the new disciples.

112. There are many in the Family who lack vision. They feel the Family is too introspective, the "Consider the Poor" ministries too shallow, and they wonder if the Family is losing its fire, its purpose. All this will be remedied when the Homes are face to face with hungry sheep that are crying out to be fed. They will have been won by the printed Word sent via the Activated ministry‚ and it will be the responsibility of the Family to be the sample of that Word. They will feel compelled by My Spirit to show the babes that what they have read and heard of is true, that there really is such a life of service for Me, that the spirit world is real, that My love is truly the answer to all things.

113. These many babes and potential disciples will create a vacuum, and that vacuum will create a drawing power, which will activate and magnify and bring to light this new anointing in the children of David. Seeing the need, feeling responsible for others, knowing that these hungry souls are looking to them for the truth and to be instructed and guided and led to a life of service to Me will rekindle the fire of many faithful children of David who have grown tired and weary and become dis­illusioned. It will be a jump-start in the spirit to them, bringing them roaring back to life.

114. The children of David are the most spiritually fed and enlightened people on the face of the Earth. They are glutted with the truth of My Word and have such a keen understanding of My nature and the spirit world that they don't even appreciate it any longer. Because many are not witnessing as they used to, or not witnessing deeply, they've grown used to only associating deeply with others who know as much as they do, who are just as fat in the spirit as they are.

115. When you don't see a contrast and everyone around you is rich, you begin to think everyone is rich. When you're never hungry, you forget that there are millions who are starving. When I always supply your material needs, often in abundance, you forget that many are in want. When you're only sometimes lonely or in need of sexual company‚ you forget that there are some who end their lives for lack of love and affection. When you always have a roof over your head, you forget that there are those who are homeless and destitute. When you have no reason to fear the future‚ you forget that there are men whose hearts fail them for fear.

116. The children of David have forgotten much. Though there may be some exceptions, for the most part, they have left their roots of compassion and understanding of the poor and downtrodden and they have grown cold. Like many of the churches‚ they have become secluded in their blessings. I do not fault them completely‚ for I know that there are many reasons for this. What is to blame for these short­comings is not the point, and it's irrelevant at this time because the solution to these problems is just around the corner. It's almost in sight.

117. The complacency, the deadness of spirit, the attraction for the world, the compromise and slow seepage of the world into the hearts and Homes of the Family will continue to be eliminated naturally as they find these multitudes of hungry sheep on their doorsteps. Love for the sheep and a desire to meet their needs will automatically begin to replace a desire for the world and a focus on your own needs. They will not be able to turn them away. Their whole lives will be disrupted‚ their schedules will have to be thrown out the window, and they'll find themselves with the totally joyful ministry of giving their lives—all their time, strength and attention—to feeding these precious ones who depend on them for their very lives in the spirit.

118. The children of David will fulfill their destiny as being the teachers of all nations, for they will train the leaders, those who speak the language of their land‚ who can go out and reach their own people in the distant fields, towns and villages. What begins as a pleasant breeze will grow to a mighty wind of power and fruitfulness.

119. The action I speak of in the days of action is outward ministering, outward teaching, and outward caring for the needy. The children of David will finally return to their roots, to the basics, and they will find the joy and satisfaction that has escaped them.

120. I ask you, My king and queen‚ to prepare the Family now. They will require much preparation, for they will need to change almost every aspect of their lives. It will be as if they've found a new profession—that of being a missionary! For there are few in the Family today who dedicate their full time to witnessing and follow-up. That once was and will again be the primary activity and ministry of all the children of David. In the future, the vast majority of Family members will be wholly dedicated to feeding the multitudes in some way. The joy and excitement of doing this will far outshine the joy they find in their present ministries. It will be as if they've been reborn, made anew. This is part of getting back to the basics. This will be part of the fruit of the Shakeup 2000.

121. Yes, My king and queen, there is much preparation that must be done. There is much that must be produced, taught, planned, explained and prepared. You might feel you've done this before, that you've had similar "pushes," and the Family may feel the same, even the leadership. But what is different about this time is that there's a built-in mechanism, the ­Activated program, that will bring the sheep to the doors of the Homes by the throngs—­hungry‚ needy, potential sheep. And their bleats will awaken in the hearts of the children of David the love of a missionary.

122. Love will once again constrain them. Love will be their guide, their motivation, their impetus. It will bring change automatically. It will be a force that will be unstoppable. That is the great difference between this time and other times. The onus will no longer be on the Family to go out and seek out those who are hungry. They will land at their door with their cups in hand, wanting to drink. The Family will be forced to pour out, and the sheep will not go away, for they will by that time be addicted to the Words of David, and they will demand to be fed.

123. These multitudes will create a vacuum. Their spiritual hunger will create a drawing power that will pull the children of David back to their true calling. They will return to the basics, their roots, the beginning days of sacrifice and witnessing. There will be so much action—action of the most important kind, that of feeding My sheep.

124. The children of David who have loved Me as intimate lovers, who have proven their desire for Me in the bed of love, will once again prove their devotion to Me by feeding My sheep as in the early days, with all their strength, time, and power. Their fire and fervor will demonstrate a continual Holy Ghost sample. They will partake of Me deeply and will be in a constant feast of the prophets. They will be teachers of the hungry regarding the events of the Endtime and the perils that are to come. They will return to the basics of the beginning, but with the greater knowledge gained from their deep feeding on My Word, their vast experience in living for Me, and their new anointing which will bring with it love such as the world has never seen before.

125. This is part of the action of the days to come. This is not everything, but this is a very, very important part—a glorious part! You will be so proud of your children, and great will be your reward, My humble king and queen, for your obedience to go where I have led, and to give forth what I have spoken. You are now leaving behind your days of humble beginnings and you enter the days of power—both of spirit and of finances and of influence. You have not come a day late or a dollar short, as some fear. No, you are in My perfect time, and you will see wonders in this era of action. (End of message from Jesus)

126. (Mama: ) This message is both revelatory and instructional. There are two things that stand out: 1) the tremendous promises attached to the Activated ministry, and 2) the obvious reality that the Family is not as oriented toward witnessing or follow-up as we used to be.

127. It's pretty shocking for the Lord to say so plainly that we have "left our roots of compassion and understanding of the poor and downtrodden" and have "grown cold" and become "secluded in our blessings." Just think, the Lord says that the same thing has happened to us that has happened to many churches! That's very sad.

128. The Lord is understanding, however, and He doesn't fault the Family completely for this shift of emphasis, for there are many reasons why that happened, including some legitimate ones, like the FGAs having to train their children so we'd have a strong new army of SGAs. Also, though not brought out in this mess­age, you read in "Issues #1" (ML #3294‚ GN 889) an explanation from the Lord about what the purpose was for the inward focus of the Family over the last few years. Many complain about what they call too much self–perfecting or an overkill on working on our NWOs, but the Lord made it clear that all that effort to get ourselves in shape was for a purpose—to make us better missionaries and disciples. It's clear that it was training for today, the era of action. Now we're going to turn our attention outward once again, to the sheep. We should each be spiritually prepared now to do what we need to do!

Point-by–Point Review

129. Here's a summary of the main points from the above prophecy which tells us how the Activated ministry, though small now, is going to blossom and grow into our most fruitful witnessing venture ever!

vOur new anointing will help us to fight the battle and endure the hardships needed in order to secure the kingdom.

vThe days of training are over, and we're to go forth to battle as specialized soldiers.

vAs the Family continues to be cleansed and purged‚ our new battlefield will come more into focus.

vThe battlefield and focus of the era of action is the hearts and minds of men, winning new laborers, training new leaders, and ministering to the multitudes.

vThe Family will turn their eyes away from introspection, from focusing primarily on their own needs‚ and will bury themselves in the work of meeting the needs of those outside the Family—the lost.

vThe humble beginnings of Activated will blossom into being our greatest witness ever. There will be vast growth, awesome receptivity, a tre­mendous hunger for the Word.

vThe Activated program will be a key to meeting our financial needs. We'll have more than we need for the projects we've dreamed of, both for ministering to the lost and for our Family's needs.

vMany laborers will join our fold through Activated.

vThe follow-up ministry that will result from Activated will test the Family. It will require an about-face change, meaning constant care for the sheep and their feeding.

vThe Family will feel compelled by the sheep who will be coming to their doors, and this will rekindle the fire of the children of David who've grown tired and dis­illusioned. It will be a jump-start in the spirit to them, bringing them roaring back to life.

vReaching out to the lost and spiritually destitute will teach the Family to value and appreciate their spiritual riches and blessings, which they've been glutted with.

vBeing faced with the immense need will give us greater compassion and understanding.

vThe complacency, deadness of spirit, attraction for the world and compromise in the Family will continue to be eliminated naturally as the hungry sheep come to your doorstep and your life revolves around feeding them and ministering to them.

vThe Family's lifestyle will be disrupted, schedules thrown out the window as your ministry becomes giving your life, time, strength and attention to the sheep.

vThe Family will fulfill its destiny of being teachers of others, raising up labor ­leaders who will go back and reach their own people.

vThe children of David will return to their roots and the basics, and will find the joy and satisfaction that has escaped them.

vWitnessing, disciple-making and teaching will be the primary ministry of every Family member.

vLove will be the guiding force and primary motivation of the Family. We will be forced to pour out.

vWe're leaving behind our days of humble beginnings and entering the days of power in the spirit and of greater finances and influence.

130. Much of the action of the "era of action" will happen outside our Homes; it's witnessing and follow-up! It's going to take a considerable amount of work and time to put landing gear on the great plans and promises the Lord has given in the above message. Making it happen means that we have to give up our old ways of doing things, drastically change our focus, go back to our roots, to the basics of what the Family is all about—feeding His sheep! Peter and I are committed to doing all that the Lord has said. Are you? We sure hope you are‚ because without you doing your part, none of this will happen!

131. The progress and miracles the Lord talks about here are not just going to materialize out of thin air, effortlessly, from one day to the next. As marvelous and vision-increasing as these promises and predictions of the future are, they are conditional! That means we all have to do our part before the Lord can do His to make it happen! Of course, our part is small by comparison to the miracles the Lord does, but nonetheless, our part is crucial. Otherwise, these become just words on a page.

132. Peter and I and WS have already done our part for the Activated program. We have invested two years of work, prayer and personnel at the WS level to create the Activated program. With the help of the CROs, we have established the Activated desks, and have allotted the necessary finances, received through your faithful and much appreciated contributions, to the running of those Homes. The Activated program is up and running! It's there, it's happening! You have a ready-made, feed-the-sheep follow-up program.

133. Now you have to do your part! We pray desperately that you don't just read the above message and think, "Oh‚ cool!" That won't cut it! You have to do your part‚ and at this point in time‚ your part is to continue to get behind the Activated program and make it part of your daily witnessing and regular follow–up activities. Thanks to those of you who are doing so already!

134. There is little more that Peter and I can do toward the furtherance of the Activated program on the grassroots level except to continue‚ through the pubs‚ to instruct, remind and encourage your greater involvement in it. We will do this. The CROs and VSs will also continue to help you via workshops or practical instruction and testimonies. There will be more practical information and how-tos regarding the Activated program pub­lished in a GN in the near future. But all of this will only go so far without each of you making a commit­ment to get personally involved in pushing the Activated program—that means sending in addresses and selling subscriptions.

135. That is your part‚ for right now. Then the Activated desks will continue to feed those sheep month after month through the magazines without your having to rack your brains and take your limited time to figure out a Word program for them. In time, the addresses of these readers will be referred back to the local Home level for further personal contact with the Family. Obviously, it is at this point that many of the promises of the above message will come to pass, as many of these Activated sub­scribers will hopefully eventually become live-out disciples or outside members of our greater "church."

136. (You'll be happy to know that a follow-up program of courses you can teach to Activated members—or anyone you're following up on—once they're in contact with the local Homes is presently being created. Peter hosted a meeting with follow-up "experts" from around the world last year, and they brainstormed the needs of the follow-up ministry. Since that time, we've been working on creating material for the extended follow–up and training of outside members. More details on this will be published later, D.V.)

What if You Don't Have

An Activated Program

In Your Language Area?

137. While reviewing the previous mess­age and preparing this GN, I was concerned that you Family members in areas that do not at present have an Activated desk could possibly feel that you are missing out on the action, or that you're being left "out of the loop," and that the promises in these messages don't apply to you. This isn't so! Our Husband intends for you to be just as much a part of this mighty move in the spirit!

138. The Activated program is a vehicle for follow-up, and while some of you may not presently have these materials translated in the language of your area, as you take up the challenge to do what you can today, to follow up on those you meet even if you have to use other Family materials and programs suited to your needs, then you too can claim these promises just the same as others who are using the Activated materials that we have in hand.

139. It may help you to review paragraphs 70 through 74 in GN 849, where Peter explains the step-by-step process and how the Lord has led us thus far to get the ball rolling with the Activated program, as well as the vision for the future when we hope to branch out into more languages and design a program for Eastern and non-Christian cultures. We have to start somewhere, and this is just the beginning. In the meantime, if you'll do all you can to faithfully feed and follow up on your sheep, you'll be partaking of the era of action!

140. The Lord will bless your efforts to get on board and aim your vision outward. As you do your part to follow up and feed those you meet in your witnessing, these promises are yours to claim. Regarding this, our Husband said:

141. (Jesus speaking:) When I speak of the Activated ministry, although I am referring to the new program I have led you to design, I am also referring to an overall vision and thrust within My Family to follow up, feed, teach and train the souls I bring them into contact with on a daily basis.

142. The brave pioneers and faithful mission­aries on the far-flung fields can be ­every bit as much a part of this mighty move as those in the areas who have Activated desks. These promises apply to all Family members who will get on the band­wagon and step out today to do their part to meet and minister to the hungry of the world, to follow up on My sheep and make disciples of all nations.

143. My missionaries on fields which do not have Activated desks can and should sell subscrip­tions when possible, to the ones they meet who speak English, Spanish or Portuguese, and I will bless this. In addition, on these fields I will bless the Family's efforts as they endeavor to feed their sheep with the materials they do have. They too can partake of the Activated vision by launching out in this great follow-up push. As they come to Me and lean on Me for ideas and ways they can feed their sheep, I will lead them and help them design their own programs and put together materials for their area during this interim time‚ while it is yet to be organized to translate these materials into more languages.

144. These same principles and promises I have given in this message apply to all My Family who will take this counsel to heart‚ who will look to Me and do their part to feed My sheep in their area.

145. I will give a special anointing to these in far-flung lands. If they will diligently seek Me and come to Me concerning the needs of their sheep, because I know that they have a difficult task, that of putting together materials to feed My sheep, I will pour out to them a double anointing. I am proud of these who take up this challenge. Where I guide, I provide, and these who answer My call to minister in the far–flung lands, I will not leave comfortless.

146. Yes, those who serve Me in areas that do not at present have an Activated desk will partake equally of the promises in this era of action! These promises are for My Family worldwide. They are for those who will turn their ­vision outward‚ who will take up the torch and feed My sheep, who will minister to, teach, feed and care for the hungry and the needy. (End of mess­age from Jesus.)

Is There Enough Time

To Achieve This?

147. (Mama: ) After hearing about the far–reaching plans the Lord has for the Activated ministry in particular, we wanted to know if we would have sufficient time for all this to happen before the Great Tribulation. As we've learned over the years‚ it takes quite some time to bring about major changes, especially when they require a shift in the Family's focus, emphasis on a new ministry or outreach, new publications, etc.

148. Implementing a new plan or program requires a substantial investment of time‚ money, man­power and materials, and it's difficult to have the faith for a long-term project if you're expecting the Tribulation to begin at any time, with the Lord returning three-and-a-half years after that! In order to have the full faith to move forward in whatever direction the Lord shows us, we felt it would help if He could tell us how much more time we have, or at least if we have sufficient time to put His new plan into effect.

149. When we asked the Lord these questions, and to give us any further direction He has for us in this new era of action concerning the Activated program, our witness and outward focus, He said the following:

150. (Jesus speaking:) Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Make disciples of all nations. This is My call. This is the ultimate and overall vision. You, My children, have been faithful to preach the Gospel, to get out and witness, to pour forth My message, the written Word, the spoken Word, the Word through your samples, through your love‚ through your sacrifice, through your giving to and helping the poor. You've poured forth, you've sown the seed, and I am well pleased. You've done the things that I've said to do.

151. But now you must also make disciples of all nations. You must win, feed, and cultivate, for in the days and years ahead you will have need of those who can help you do the job. I wish for My Family to grow‚ and thus you must open your doors wide. You must enlarge the borders of your tent. You must make it poss­ible for others to join with you.

152. Open the gates! Let people enter into the folds. Gather them in and care for them. Feed them, nurture them‚ love them, shepherd them. Help them to grow into witnesses and disciples‚ into those who will affect those who are around them‚ those within their sphere of influence—their friends and loved ones.

153. I wish for this era of action to be an era of growth—growth of the body. In order for this to happen, you must each participate. You must each change your mindsets, your ­methods, and your modes of operation. You must see the need to follow up, to feed‚ to nurture, to become shepherds of those who are not only living within your walls but those who live without.

154. It is for this reason that I have set up the Activated program. It is for this reason that I have led your queen and king in this direction‚ to produce materials to feed the sheep. I will continue to lead and guide them to pour forth a flood of material that will make your job easier.

155. This is the call—the call to discipleship, to winning those who hunger for truth, who hunger for meaning to their lives, who are dissatisfied and empty. Not all of these will be able to drop out and live with you, but many will be willing to serve hand in hand with you. Though they will not leave their jobs nor will they move in with you, they will still be disciples, followers of the doctrine. They will win others to Me and they will help you to win the world. In doing so, they will find satisfaction of spirit. They will find the peace and fulfillment they seek.

156. You must make this possible for them by doing your part to feed, love, and shepherd them. I wish for you to open the doors and let them in. They too hunger and thirst after right­eous­ness. They too are children of David. They must be gathered in. You must do your part to gather‚ feed, strengthen, and help them grow. This is a major change, a major move within My Family. You must build this, My Church—not a building of dead stones, but one of living stones. You must gather them in.

157. I've given you time to train them and feed them so that when the full darkness falls upon the Earth, you will have those who will stand strong against the evil of that day. These will be one with you, in a position to help, protect, and also witness and win within their own realm. Do not fail in this, My children, for the time has come.

158. Many of you feel tired of the old. You look forward to what's ahead and wonder, "What will we do? Will we continue on the same as always, or should we be moving forward?" The answer is this: I call you to move forward in this new vision‚ to step out beyond your present faith. You have great faith, but now I call you to greater faith. I call you to greater shepherding. I call you to greater feeding!

159. You wonder‚ "How can we take this on when time is so short? How can we bear fruit if the Lord is going to return at any time?" I say, trust Me, for I know that there is time for this. Be comforted that there is time. I will return, and you will see Me come in the clouds with great glory, but I also say that there is time—time to invest in the feeding of the sheep‚ time to help them grow, time for them to prepare‚ to become strong, to truly be disciples.

160. But you must do your part; you must put forth the effort. You must win these and feed and strengthen them, for it is part of My plan. Much has been poured into you over these many years—much training, much Word, much experience, many les­sons, great faith. Now it is time for each and every one of you to use it. It is no longer time to point to another and say, "He is the shepherd. He has to do the job. He must feed the sheep." I say to you, you are the shepherd and you must feed the sheep.

161. I ask you‚ what is that in your hand? That which is in your hand are those that you lead to Me. That which is in your hand are your friends, your contacts‚ the souls you lead into My Kingdom, those you meet. These are they that I have brought across your path and these are they whom you can feed, win‚ and make into disciples, into partners in your work.

162. This takes faithful feeding and shep­herd­ing. It takes a longer-term vision than you're used to. It takes commitment. But even as you've had to make a commitment to sticking with Me, to staying in the Family, to living the truth, so now I ask you to make the commitment to feed the sheep. Come before Me and commit yourself to this new vision—the vision of winning disciples of all nations, the vision of both preaching the Gospel and creating other preachers of the Gospel. This is how the Word will spread; this is how I will fulfill the vision.

163. It must begin now‚ and it must first begin with the commitment in your heart. I have led My shepherds to prepare the materials that will help you to fulfill this vision, but you must do your part. You must ask Me in prayer to change your style, your mode of operation. You must begin now by participating in the Activated program, by sending in your addresses, by getting out the magazines, pushing for the subscriptions, realizing that this is all part of feeding the sheep. You must also follow up personally on these people and begin to teach them.

164. I will provide the materials, the classes, and the instruction. All of this is coming. But in the meantime, do what you can. Feed your sheep. Send in your addresses. Get out the Activated material—the magazines, the books, the booklets. These are very feeding and these will help to ground your sheep—your future brethren—in the Word and doctrine.

165. It is the time to make disciples of all nations! Gather them in. Feed them. Win them. Shepherd them. Make them a part of you so that they too can be fruitful, they too can become shepherds, and they too can become preachers of My Word. As you do this, you will begin to see the fulfillment of the era of action, for there will be much accomplished. Don't be impatient; this takes time and work. It takes dedication. It takes faith. But you will reap the results if you are faithful to implement this, My will.

166. Continue to preach the Gospel, continue to help the poor, but begin to reap, to build, to harvest. Feed the sheep‚ give to the sheep, strengthen the sheep‚ train the sheep—and these sheep will be a blessing and a help to you. They will help to solve many of your problems.

167. After you've given unto them, they will give unto you. After you've given your time, your spirit‚ and your strength to them, they will in return give the same to you and more, for they will love you, they will be part of you. It will change your life and it will cause you to be more fruitful than you ever imagined. (End of message from Jesus.)

168. (Mama: ) Thank You Jesus for such an inspiring, informative message! He couldn't make it much clearer than that‚ could He? He's assured us that we do have sufficient time to make this era of action a reality.

169. His call to us, our commission in this new era, is to open our gates and to let people enter our folds! We must make a way for those we lead to the Lord to join us in our work of winning the world. We must become more than soul-winners—we must be disciple–makers. This won't be easy; it will take a major change of outlook and priorities for the Family as a whole. It will require patience, faith‚ and stick-to-itiveness. It will mean making a commitment to an ever-growing flock of converts whom you are teaching, shepherding, and leading to discipleship.

170. The Lord isn't talking just about winning instant dropouts who will join you from one moment to the next and be ready to go off with you as you move on to pioneer new territory. He's talking about feeding people over a long period of time, slowly helping them mature spiritually, tending to their wounds‚ answering their questions, teaching them classes, and nurturing them from spiritual babyhood to full discipleship. He's also talking about ministering to those who don't feel the call to live full-time for the Lord in one of our Homes, but who nevertheless want to serve the Lord, witness, and be Family members, even though they can't live in a Home. These people will far outnumber those who actually drop out and become full-time, live-in disciples.

171. Peter and I will be counseling with the CROs about restructuring our member­ship require­ments in order to make it possible for those who wish to be part of us to become members of the Family, and those who wish to be disciples to be Family disciples. We want to enlarge the borders of our tents. We'll talk more about this in the months to come.

Focus of the Era of Action

172. We learn from the two messages included above that the era of action, as it relates to the Activated program, is geared toward the following:

àWitnessing explosion

àActivated promotion

àFollow-up

àTraining disciples—live-ins and live-outs

àWidening our base of Family membership to build a bigger church of believers

àBeing teachers to all nations

173. The Lord gave tremendous promises about how this era of action will change the Family and push us to new heights. Besides the many laborers the Lord has promised will join our fold, and people who will stand by us during times of trouble, as we do our part to teach them and help them to become part of our work, the Lord has also promised us the following:

174. Broader base of support for the Family: "There will be more active supporting members than you can imagine."

175. Our financial needs supplied in abundance: "You will have abundance. You will have more than you need for the many urgent and expensive projects you dream of, both to minister to outsiders and to the Family's needs."

176. The key to disillusioned and weary Family members and young people being ignited for the Lord: "Seeing the need, feeling responsible for others, knowing that these hungry souls are looking to them for the truth and to be instructed and guided and led to a life of service to Me will rekindle the fire of many faithful children of David who have grown tired and weary and become dis­illusioned. It will be a jump-start in the spirit to them‚ bringing them roaring back to life."

177. Bad attitudes and System influences purged from the Family: "The complacency, the deadness of spirit‚ the attraction for the world, the compromise and slow seepage of the world into the hearts and Homes of the Family will continue to be eliminated naturally as they find these multitudes of hungry sheep on their doorsteps. Love for the sheep and a desire to meet their needs will automatically begin to replace a desire for the world and a focus on your own needs."

178. Fulfilling our destiny as teachers of the Word: "The children of David will fulfill their destiny as being the teachers of all nations."

179. Regaining our lost joy and satisfaction: "The children of David will finally return to their roots, to the basics, and they will find the joy and satisfaction that has escaped them."

180. Joy and excitement above and beyond; being reborn: "The joy and excitement of doing this will far outshine the joy they find in their present ministries. It will be as if they've been reborn, made anew."

181. Entering the days of power in spirit, finances, and influence: "You are now leaving behind your days of humble beginnings and you enter the days of power—both of spirit, and of finances, and of in­fluence."

182. Raising up people for protection and help for the future: "[When the full darkness falls upon the Earth] … these will be one with you‚ in a position to help, to protect, and also witness and win within their own realm."

Getting Down to

The Business of Change

183. Those promises are‚ in fact‚ the answers to most of our major problems within the Family. I'm sure that you're each just as eager as Peter and I are to lay hold on those promises and see them happen. But the Lord isn't handing them to us for free! As I said earlier, there are conditions attached to these promises, and in order to make them work for us‚ we have to do our part—and as the Lord said, it's going to require a very radical change in our priorities and how we live and spend our time.

184. The Family is going to have to change. Our focus is going to have to change. You as an individual are going to have to change. We're going to have to let go of what we're doing now and embrace the new direction the Lord is leading us in. It's going to take all of us working together to bring this era of action about, and we'll have to invest time‚ hard work, and our lives into it if we want to reap the blessings, benefits and fulfillment of the promises.

185. The Lord is going to do what He has promised as we do our part, but He's not going to simply drop all those answers to our problems into our lap! He doesn't usually work that way. You've read some of the marvelous promises about the era of action, but we have to be realistic and understand that it's not like we're going to wake up tomorrow and find that all of a sudden everybody in the Family is doing the greatest work they've ever done, being the greatest witness they've ever been, and preaching the greatest message they've ever preached! Some­thing's got to change to make that ­happen.

186. So far in this GN you've read further details about the vision of the Activated program and the Lord's plan for it. That's something that's happening today. That is some action that you have on hand right now. You could go out this very day and sell subscriptions! You don't have to wait even one minute to be able to put that part of the era of action into action!

187. But that's not all there is to the era of action. There's more. Your pushing the Activated program and doing your part to help the desks have people to feed is a good start. It's our immediate or short-term goal. But it's not the only goal‚ it's not the all in all. There are other major changes that the Lord is leading Peter and I to make in the Family, but some of them will take more time. There are other long-term goals. You'll be hearing more about those in future GNs.

188. Something Peter wisely expressed when dis­cussing the era of action with a co-worker is that in order to achieve a long-term goal, you have to have short-term goals. To travel from one place to the next, you have the first day's drive, and then the second day's drive, and then the third day's drive, etc. You're not going to get to your desired location in one fell swoop, and you're not ever going to get there unless you make your journey hour by hour and day by day.

189. Likewise, the Lord has given us the long-term vision. We know where He wants us to go; we know our destination. To reach it, there are a lot of things we have to do. The first thing we have to do is promote Activated. If we don't, we're not going to reach the next goals and we're not going to get the benefits; we're not going to receive the marvelous answers to the Family's problems that the Lord has promised. But the good news is that promoting Activated, getting subscriptions, feeding those ­hungry sheep and preparing them for personal follow-up is not impossible. It's doable.

190. The Lord has shown us a path to follow to bring about the needed changes, and we have to follow that path. When you start on a path to go somewhere, you don't take the first step and the journey is done; you've got to make the trip. Even if you know where the destination is, you still have to make the trip. That's what this series of Action GNs is going to be about—making the trip, what each of us needs to do to get us all to our destination together. This is an ongoing process with a lot of work to be done, and God helping us, you're going to be hearing more about it every month.

Long-term Changes and Goals

191. Now let's talk a bit about the longer-term goals. For many months, Peter and I have been seeking the Lord, desperately praying and hearing from Him about exactly how the Family needs to change and what needs to be done in order to bring the era of action to pass in its full measure. This has taken a lot of our time and it's something we are very desperate with the Lord about, because we realize that this new era of action and the guidance that we're receiving concerning it will shape the Family's future, and is imperative to propel us to the heights and fruitfulness the Lord has promised. Please pray for us during this time.

192. To this end, over the last few months Peter and I held a number of meetings with WS representatives and other Family leadership. In order to help the Family move forward, the Lord has shown us that we need the proper machinery that is able to process and handle all the labor and fruit that the era of action is going to bring. To do this‚ we will need to make some major changes within the structure of the Family. These changes are two–pronged.

193. The first aspect of major change involves WS. The Lord has instructed Peter and me to look at every aspect of WS‚ to reevaluate and change what is needed in order to make WS a more efficiently operating service to the Family. The Lord has said that there will be a great outpouring of new tools and materials with which the Family will feed the sheep and disciples that are won through the Activated program. WS, as the Family's leadership base and production unit, has to be prepared to do its part to fulfill what the Lord has promised us in this new era.

194. The second aspect of major change in­volves the Family at large—defining more clearly our goals and direction, broadening our leader­ship struc­ture, enlarging our membership and building a national church, improving the care of our children and the opportunities of service for our young people. We have to clearly see what the Lord wants the Family to be in the future and work toward that long-term goal today. With the changes that the era of action will bring and our collective focus shifting more toward witnessing and follow-up, we must take a long, hard, prayerful look at what's important‚ what's needed, what isn't needed, and what's the best way to achieve the goals the Lord is putting before us. We need to major on the majors, but first we need to define the majors.

195. The Lord has changes ahead both in WS and the Family at large, and that is what Peter and I are concentrating on at this time. The foundation has to be in place before the rest of the house can be built. This will take some time, and we'll be sharing more details with you as soon as we can. Lord willing‚ next month you will hear more about some recent changes and challenges put forth to the WS members. Over the following months we plan to pass on more information regarding the direction the Lord is leading and what we all need to do about it, including further practical information on the Activated program, as well as news from the Activated workshops going on in various countries. So you can definitely expect to hear more on these goals and plans soon.

196. There will be changes, and we want them to be the Lord's changes. But in order to find the Lord's will‚ we have to be open to doing whatever the Lord wants. That means kicking over the traces, getting rid of the old and moving on. It means seeking the Lord about every­thing to find out what needs to change and what can remain the same. We don't want to break down everything and then have to rebuild from scratch. We need to find the things that work and keep them; we need to find the things that don't work and change them.

197. Please don't worry about these changes. Peter and I are very prayerfully seeking the Lord step by step‚ are counseling with our teamworkers and field leadership, and are bringing each detail to the Lord repeatedly for His counsel and confirmation. We're desperate to get it right, and the Lord has promised that He will not fail us.

198. It's also vital to remember that whatever changes the Lord has in store for us are good changes, positive changes; they're going to revitalize and help the Family. These changes will provide many of the solutions that you've been desperate for. These changes will make you a happier person, will strengthen the Family as a whole, and will help us bear fruit like never before in our history! They're all good, wonderful, and positive things to look forward to. The Lord has promised to do awesome things for us—things that we'll be happy about, even though it will take a lot of work and a changing of our mindsets and focus to get it going and off the ground!

199. And for those of you who might be wondering, no‚ the Lord has not shown Peter and me to do away with the Charter nor revert to the "pre-Charter" mode of operation. The Family might undergo some restructuring and changes, but the Charter—the freedoms it grants and the responsi­bilities that it requires of each member and Home—will remain very much a cornerstone of our move­ment.

200. I want to share some excerpts of the messages our Husband has given to us on the subject of change, which will help you to pray for us and to also prepare your heart and mind for the era of action and all that it holds!

201. (Jesus speaking:) Rejoice at the vic­tories that have been won this past year, and rejoice for the victories which lie ahead of you, those which I will bring to pass in the year to come. These victories will require obedience, fighting, forging ahead, and taking bold new steps, but I will do great things this year. There will be change, but it is not change to be afraid of, but rather change to be embraced.

202. Seek Me constantly about this change—what you and your Home should and shouldn't do. Don't hold on to the things of the past, but rather look forward to the future and let Me move and guide you through it.

203. The ways of the past, the old ways, will not work for the future. So be open to Me. As you listen with an open mind, you can come before Me and I will help you by showing which paths are the paths to take and which are not.

204. This will be an exciting year, one with many challenges and many victories. When I show you what to do, then do it in faith, nothing wavering, and I will bless because I have guided and led in that direction.

205. Again I say‚ rejoice! Rejoice at that which is to come—the victories! Rejoice in the anointing that I have poured upon you! Rejoice at the faith that will be manifested in this year ahead! This is a time of rejoicing, a time of stepping into this new era. This is the time for stepping into the future—the future that I have laid out for you, the future of the fulfillment of My promises, the future of the victories ahead‚ and the future that brings you ever closer to eternity in My arms. (End of message from Jesus)

206. (Jesus speaking:) My loves, there is much ahead for you in this year, many things that must be taken care of‚ much new counsel that must be put into effect. I will make this a very moving, progressive year with much change, with new ideas implemented‚ with new thrusts being made. I will bless you in your efforts to maintain the pathway of My choosing. It's up to you to make many of the decisions that will need to be made for the guidance and direction of My children.

207. I say also, you have need of patience. You must understand that all things cannot be done in a day. All problems cannot be solved, all new directions cannot be given, all progress cannot be made in one day, or even in a short period of time. It's the day–by–day building, the day-by-day doing, the day-by-day bits of progress that, when added up over a period of time, accomplish the goal that needs to be reached.

208. So you must move with patience and faith—faith that I will solve the problems, bring the solutions, and bring about the progress. (End of message from Jesus.)

209. (Mama: ) Amidst all the promises of it being a moving and changing year, the Lord brought out a good point about the need for patience. As we go along, as we begin to make changes and do new things, we have to understand that even though the Lord makes bold new moves, these changes still take time. We have to not only be willing to make the moves and changes the Lord shows us, but we also have to be willing to be patient and trust Him. Remember the concept of the short- and long-term goals.

210. It takes time for Peter and me to find the Lord's specific directions, to counsel with our worldwide leadership, to come back to Him again and again for the specifics, to produce the GNs to share what the Lord has shown us. Changes take time to make; it takes time for the Family to get used to them. All this takes time, so please don't be impatient. Don't proclaim disappointment or failure if you don't see things changed as quickly as you want. We're looking at a long-term change. It's going to take the rest of this year for us just to make the changes needed in WS and to find out all that the Lord wants to tell us about the overall changes in our leadership structure and the Family's focus.

211. If we're going to broaden the base of the Family, if we're going to be feeding the multitudes and shepherding large flocks of new live-in and live-out disciples, then we need to get ready for it. We need the materials to do the job and we need the training. Much of this is in the works already‚ but it's going to take some time. We know the goal‚ but we have to take each step as the Lord leads.

212. Peter and I are doing what we can ­today! We're not just hanging out or waiting around. We're on it—discussing, counseling, holding lots of meetings, hearing from the Lord again and again‚ writing letters, etc. We're in the era of action and we're acting!

213. We've already begun streamlining and re­organizing WS in order to make it more efficient and effective. We've met with some of the CROs for preliminary prayer and discussion regarding how to implement the Lord's vision and how to address some of the major problems that face us. More meetings will take place in the future as we further fine-tune the things the Lord has shown us. But again‚ please be patient‚ as this takes time to plan, prepare‚ and implement. We're focusing on these changes and doing all we can day by day to bring them to fruition.

214. You too should be doing what you can! Start today by praying desperately for Peter and me as we confer with the Lord and Family leader­ship. Start today by making Activated part of your daily outreach and witnessing. Send in those subscriptions and addresses. If you don't understand the Activated program, go back and study GN 849 again. If you still don't understand, write or call your Activated desk and ask questions. Get with it! It's the future and we need YOU to make it happen. If you don't have an Activated desk in your area‚ then work toward following up on those you lead to the Lord and feeding them. Ask the Lord how you and your Home can become disciple winners. Teach those you are witnessing to how to feed others. Get them distributing the tools to their friends and folks they know. Start feeding the sheep today! Look outward, toward the people who need to hear about the Lord and who want to do something meaningful with their lives!

215. Please keep Peter and me in your prayers as we seek the Lord further concerning the Lord's instruction for us as a Family. And hang on to your hats, because we're going places like never before! You'll be hearing more in upcoming GNs. We love you!

Much love in our action-packed, moving, changing Husband,

Mama and Peter

216. P.S. After you read this GN, we ask that you gather for united prayer, laying hands on each other. Have heartfelt prayer, asking the Lord to change your mode of operation and show you exactly what you can do to fulfill this ­vision. Ask Him for His help and His to-do list‚ and as you do your part to obey, you can hold Him to His part—the fulfillment of the glorious promises in this Letter!